Would you like the secret to perfecting that one voicemail message guaranteed to get all of your calls returned?

Yeah, I would, too. Let me know if you find it.

Oh, there are messages that can get calls returned all the time. They are from the IRS claiming to have some important information. Or from the hospital lab department, which found something disturbing that was overlooked in past test results. I’ve even heard some desperate suggestions that salespeople pretend to be these types of callers just to get a callback.

First, let’s get real about voicemail and telephone prospecting: Lower your expectations. Do not expect your calls to be returned.

It’s a bit absurd to think that someone who does not know you—who is probably overworked and underpaid, who has 79 unread emails and 12 other voicemails from people he does know—is going to return your call. Unless the prospect has an immediate, urgent need and pain that your product or service can address at that very moment, it’s much more likely that he will not call you.

When I still lived in Omaha, after an overnight downpour, I went down to the lower level of my house for an early morning workout. At the last step, my foot squished into wet carpet. The sump pump had fried, and the lower level of my house was now flooded, with water still gurgling in. At that moment, I would have immediately returned a voicemail message from someone who did sump pump installation or water damage cleanup (unfortunately, I instead spent time waiting for them to return my call).

Therefore, the first question we need to answer is: “Should you even leave a voicemail on a Smart Call?” And the very definite answer is “Yes!”

Why? Because you have already done the heavy lifting by completing the intelligence gathering. You know something about the person you’re calling, the company, industry, and hopefully its needs, pains, problems, and initiatives. You have a Possible Value Proposition (PVP) for them. You now have the opportunity to make an impression with your message. Of course, you want to do it correctly, since most voicemail messages create resistance and quickly get zapped.

The Goal of Your Smart Calling Voicemail

First, you want to avoid all of the mistakes made in opening statements that cause resistance (see Chapter 9). You can also hear several actual, cringeworthy sales voicemails in your Smart Calling Companion Course in Chapter 7, SmartCallingBook.com. They can be instructive examples of what not to do.

You have one real goal for your Smart Calling voicemail message: Leave a question in their mind that they want the answer to.

Pique their curiosity with a hint of possible value and leave them asking, “Hmm, what exactly might that be?” or “I wonder how they do that?” You want whomever you are contacting to eventually take your call or respond to a follow-up email or InMail when it is announced by an assistant or perhaps when they see your company name on caller ID. If they indeed call you back, bonus points for you!

But what should your message be? It should be almost identical to the interest-creating opening statement that you will be developing in Chapter 10. After all, why would you say something different on voicemail than when you speak with your contacts in person?

Using the Smart Call opening example from Chapter 10, here is a sample voicemail message:

“Hi Michael, I’m Pat Stevens with Insurance Partners. Hope you enjoyed your golf vacation. In speaking with your assistant, Suzanne, I understand that you are in the process of evaluating your competitive edge in the employment market and figuring out how to attract and keep the top talent in your various locations. We’ve been able to help other companies in the same situation lower their recruiting and hiring expenses, and increase their retention of managerial staff. I’d like to ask a few questions to see if I could provide you some information. I’ll try you again on Friday morning. If you’d like to reach me in the meantime, my number is 555-###-####. I’ll repeat that, 555-###-####. And my email is [email protected]. Thanks.”

Some might read this and claim that it is too long, but that is a matter of perception. Too long is not about the number of words, it’s about generating boredom.

Hearing two sentences about opera is too long for me, personally. But if I heard 15 minutes about a barbecue brisket recipe that might be tastier and tenderer than the one I use in competitions, that might not be long enough. The bottom line: If the information is on a topic the person is interested in, then a detailed message won’t be considered too long.

Here is a voicemail from a fellow Smart Caller:

“Hi Mike, Karen Allen here at Foster Communications. I enjoyed your post in the LinkedIn HR Executives group on retention. We just released a white paper with similar viewpoints, and a few new ideas in the marketplace that have been tested with great results. These can be used with or without us, and I thought you might like to see them. Let me know and I’ll get you a copy … my number is ____. I’ll also send you an email.”

She mentioned a connection (the post) and the possible value (new ideas that are getting results). The twist is saying, “These can be used with or without us.” This is a subtle technique that suggests they don’t need to buy anything to get the value.

Here is one I received from a sales pro who said he got up enough nerve to call me after reading the previous edition of this book and wanted to be sure he was following the process:

“I saw your sponsored posting for your webinar, and actually attended it. Since you’re targeting salespeople who want to be better at LinkedIn, we have an audience you might not be reaching now, that would likely be very responsive to your offer. I’d like to find out more about who specifically you’re targeting to see if it would make sense to talk further.”

It worked. I called him back.

To repeat: An effective voice message is almost identical to your interest-creating opening statement. The only difference is that at the end, you inform the person you’re calling that you will call back, and then leave your contact information—just in case they get the urge to call you. Because it is virtually identical to your opening, all of the same rules apply for what to avoid and what works (see Chapter 10).

Following are a few other pointers and tips specifically for maximizing your voicemail effectiveness.

Be Prepared

You have to be prepared to reach voicemail, since this will probably be the case most of the time. As basic as this is, you’d be surprised to find that it isn’t something that sales reps usually do. More often than not, too many simply wing it.

Voicemail is not new technology. It shouldn’t be a surprise that you will be asked to speak after the tone. So why wouldn’t you be 100% prepared for what you’ll say? You must be totally smooth and confident. Again, this will stem from your interest-creating opening, which you will have prepared word for word—so it shouldn’t be a problem for you.

Say You’ll Call Back

I have to laugh when I receive prospecting call messages where reps say, “So please call me at 555-123-4567. I will be in the office and waiting for your call.” They are all still waiting.

As the prospector, you need to control the communication. It’s your responsibility to reach them. Tell them you’ll call back Thursday morning—then do it. Always give them options to reach you, leaving your phone number and email address—just in case they opt to contact you.

How Many Messages to Leave?

How many voicemails should you leave? I’ve seen all kinds of formulas. Three calls. Five calls. Eight calls? I don’t know. How important is this prospect to you? You have to be the judge.

I do know, however, that if you only call once, you have little chance of ever speaking with your prospect. On the rare occasion someone returns a prospecting voicemail, who do they call? Probably not the one-time caller.

A buyer I interviewed told me that he never returns calls and that the only sales reps who have even a remote chance of getting through his screener next time are those he recognizes as having left several interesting voicemails. Personally, I never return first calls from prospectors. I want to see that they are interested enough in doing business with me to be persistent.

Should You Vary Your Message on Repeat Calls?

Why would you? Didn’t you put a lot of thought into crafting and perfecting your PVP? And you did your Smart Call research and used that in the message, right? So changing it would be dumb. When Kentucky Fried Chicken changed their name to KFC, their slogan was still “Finger Lickin’ Good.” Every time you leave a voicemail, you are making another imprint in the listener’s mind. Radio advertisers do this on commercials by repeating a product name or benefit several times.

It’s naïve to assume that your prospect is going to remember everything you say in a message. I once conducted a training program where the reps called their manager’s voicemail and left the message they used on prospecting calls. We always played the message a second time, immediately after hearing it once. I heard things the second time I had not picked up on, despite having listened to it seconds earlier. And I was focused on the message—much more so than a prospect would be. So create your value-packed message and use it repeatedly.

Listen to Their Entire Voicemail Message

I was sitting in with a sales rep, listening to calls, when I noticed a pattern. As soon as the voicemail answered, the rep hung up. After he did this about 10 times, I asked him why. “Leaving messages is a waste of time. So I just hang up as soon I get voicemail.” He said he tried three more times over the next week, and if he never reached the person, he simply discarded the name.

I instructed him to call back the previous voicemail he just hung up on, and he did. The prospect’s greeting said:

“Hi, this is Kevin Davis. For the month of May, I will be working in my Boston office. If you would like to reach me there directly, call 617-###-####.”

The rep rolled his eyes a bit as I gave him an “I told you so” look. He apparently knew nothing about the other location. He then dialed the number, immediately reached the prospect, and entered into a sales process with him. That was a prospect he would have discarded had he not listened to the entire message.

You might hear other valuable Smart information you can use, such as:

• An assistant’s name and extension numbers.
• Others who may be able to help.
• Where the prospect is during his or her absence.
• What the prospect is doing.
• The pronunciation of his or her name if you don’t know that already.
• When the prospect will return.

Have a pen in hand as you listen to their voicemail greetings so you can record this vital information.

Listen for Their Tone on Voicemail

When you reach voicemail, pay particular attention to the decision maker’s greeting tone. This gives you some insight into the type of person they are and how you might approach them. If they sound rushed and quickly spit out their voicemail greeting, you know you should be prepared to be up-tempo and to-the-point when you reach them. You might hear someone who sounds very laid-back, warm, and welcoming; therefore, you would prepare to be a bit more informal on your call.

Put the Directions in Your Notes to Save Time

Some companies’ voicemail systems seem to require a map just to get to your contact. You may need to trek through several layers of instructions before reaching your buyers; however, there are often shortcuts. Once you learn them, put the codes in your notes to save time: “Press # immediately, then 23 to get to Pat.”

Opting for a Live Voice

When you prefer to speak with a real voice and not a digitized one upon reaching an electronic switchboard, you can try the standard escape hatches: hitting 0, ∗, or #. Another option is to simply stay on the line, since many systems revert to a live person if nothing is selected.

Use Your Prospect’s Electronic System to Gather Intelligence

You can garner quite a bit of useful information about a company just by listening to its recordings. It’s a form of electronic social engineering. Listen carefully to the options provided when voicemail answers. For example, when you’re hit with an array of choices like “For Sales, press 2; for Service, press 3,” listen to the various recordings, and return to the main menu to start over. You might pick up more information about what they sell and how, the size of the organization, how they service their customers, and other helpful clues. Additionally, if the voicemail system asks if you want to hear the directory, opt to do so. You might hear titles listed with names and you could learn the correct pronunciations.

Call Back Immediately

After you leave a voicemail, try dialing right back. Think about it: How many times have you run for your ringing phone and just missed a call?

Call at Different Times of the Day

Make a note of what times during a day you miss your prospect and leave a voicemail. Try different times during the day. Best yet: Ask an assistant when your prospects are at their desks or when the best time to reach them is. For example, you don’t want to keep bothering someone who isn’t exactly a morning person at 8:30 a.m. every day.

Give Your Number Twice, Give Your Number Twice

One of life’s little voicemail annoyances is having to play a message back to write down a phone number. So give yours twice. I like to say, “My number is 480-699-0958. I’ll repeat that for you.” And please, say it slowwwwwwwwwly. Another option is to give your number right at the beginning of the message, and then say you will repeat it at the end.

According to the Amy Vanderbilt Complete Book of Etiquette authors Nancy Tuckerman and Nancy Dunman, you should say, “Here’s my number,” before you leave your phone number—and then pause for one or two seconds. It gives the person listening to your message a chance to retrieve a pen. Then pause every few digits, and repeat the number at the end so the person can check what she or he has written.

Review Your Message, but Don’t Assume You’ll Always Have the Option

If you didn’t feel as though you’ve left the perfect message in the way you wanted, many systems provide the option to hit a number to review it. While this is a good idea, don’t assume that you will always be able to do it. A sales rep told me his words turned to nonsense as he was leaving a message: “And I’m calling about how we can, uh, create, uh, help to lower, um, er, your lower costs, I mean, ah hell, blah, blah, bladdy blah, oh screw it.” Then he hit #, thinking he would be able to rerecord the message.

Instead, he heard, “Thank you. Your message has been delivered.”

Make Your Voicemail Message Stand Out from the Clutter

Want to enhance the chances of your voicemail message being remembered?

• Back it up with a written message by an assistant. Ask the screener, assistant, or anyone in the area to scratch out a brief note for the prospect. For example, “Pat Walters left a voicemail regarding cutting maintenance expenses by 25% and will call back tomorrow.”
• Ask them to not put it on your prospect’s desk, but on his or her chair. That sets you apart.
• Further, ask them to draw a little smiley face next to the message. Don’t laugh. Corny, to be sure, but memorable, right?
• Reinforce it with an email, if you have—or can get—the address.

Of course, all of this must complement a great PVP. The message must be about your prospects and their world, what they want to achieve or wish to avoid. What we’re doing with that message is making it stand out from the clutter.

Before You Give Up, Use a Last Resort Message

I question I often get is “How many messages do you leave before you give up?” I don’t know. As mentioned earlier, how would I?

Anyone who gives you a number without knowing very specific things about you and your industry is pulling it out of … well, thin air.

The answer is a function of a lot of variables unique to you: how big your prospect universe is, how valuable you feel the prospect could be for you, and how much you really, really want to work with this prospect.

When you do reach that moment when you are willing to punt, you should leave a final, firmer message that lets them know you are done. The reasoning here is that there are some prospects who hear your first message then dismiss all the others because they decide what you’re saying is not for them.

But others listen, raise an eyebrow, and think, “Hmm, there might be something there.” However, it doesn’t bubble up high enough on the priority list for them to respond, until there is some reason for them to do so. That is your last resort message.

It lets them know you will stop calling—which will be a relief for some, but others might get a shot of FOMO (fear of missing out).

When does that point come? If you sell office supplies, everyone could be a prospect, so the magic number at which you let go would be smaller than for someone selling train locomotives to railroads.

What does a last resort message sound like?

“I’ve tried several times to contact you about how we might be able to help cut your cost of customer acquisition by 20% like we have for B.O. Industries. If I don’t hear back from you, I’m going to assume this is not something you’d like to discuss at this time.”

This often elicits a response (I’ve even heard apologies) from people who are interested but were simply too busy to reply.

“Just Hit Reply”

One technique that I use with success is adding, “I’ll also send this message in an email, and if you would still like to speak, just hit ‘reply’ with a couple of times you would be available for a quick chat.”

I was listening to a Smart Caller’s recorded calls after we had done a training program with her team, and I heard her use a variation of this message several times as a Last Resort with non-responders:

“… I don’t want to pester you to death, so if you’d just let me know either way if this is something that you’d still like to consider I’d appreciate it. A quick call, or just hit ‘reply’ to the email I’ll send.”

By her non-scientific tally she estimated it got about a 20% response, which was 20% more than she was getting on prior messages.

Handling Unreturned Voicemail Messages

Tom Mason, New Business Development Manager with Maclean Computing, has a great way to handle prospects who don’t return the voicemail messages he leaves them. Here is an email he sends:

Dear Tyler,

My name is Thomas Mason, and I work for a company called Maclean Computing Ltd. On the 5th of June, I spoke to Mark and he suggested that I speak to you regarding what we do here. I have tried to contact you since, on four separate occasions. The dates for contact are the 11th of June, 20th of July, 23rd of July, and the 29th of July.

The reason for this email is that I am concerned that I have done something wrong and that this is the reason why you are not returning my calls. Hence the title of my email: “Advanced Apologies.” If I have done something wrong, I would like to find out, so I can correct it. If you would like to talk to me, please give me a call at _____ or email me at ____.

Thank you for your time.

Thomas Mason

After nine months of using this, Tom gets about a 90% hit rate, which is quite good in situations when most people would normally give up.

Shady Voicemail Tactics to Avoid

As I mentioned in regard to the sleazy sales techniques some people teach and use regarding screeners, there are slimy voicemail methods you need to avoid. The first is simply leaving a message like this: “Hi, it’s Don Johnson. My number is 555-###-####. Please call me today.”

That’s it. No company name, no reason for the call. The rationale is that they must call you back since they have no idea why you called. In my case, I do have to call these people back. But when I quickly realize they are salespeople using a tactic to reach me, they had better have their A-game ready—since I usually skewer them.

This next one is just flat-out laughable, yet I’ve seen it suggested in print several times, been asked about it by participants in seminars, and have even run across a few people who claim to have used it.

“Hi, this is Pat Stone, at Halo Company. My phone number is 555-###-####. I have the most unbelievably great news for you. It’s about—”

Then you hang up. That’s right. Hang up. The reasoning behind this is that the people you’re calling will be so interested in what you have to say that they will call you back. And then you are supposed to give the impression that you didn’t know your message was cut off. I feel like I need a shower just reading about it.

Here’s a philosophy I’ve lived by my entire sales career: the end does not justify the means as it relates to getting callbacks. There are those who will justify using a gray-area technique with, “But it works.”

If someone could feel like they were tricked into calling back, and then learned it was a salesperson using a technique, that makes a terrible first impression. I’d rather speak with someone who is in a curious state of mind, anticipating that there could be some possible value in speaking with me.