SALES IDEA: LEAVING PHONE MESSAGES

Should you or should you not leave a voicemail when you’re prospecting?   There is probably some justification for not doing so, but the question that must be asked is why would you take the time to call a prospect and then hang up when you reach voicemail?

First of all, if you do so, the prospect will not know you called.  (It’s not likely that caller ID will provide much of a clue.)

Second, the prospect won’t know that you’re interested in connecting.  

Third, the valuable idea you have to share will not be heard.

And, fourth, your genuine interest in talking with her or him will not be communicated.

Doesn’t that seem like a waste of your time and energy in making the call in the first place?  It seems clear that leaving an intelligently prepared and well-articulated phone message is a perfectly reasonable thing to do.  So, here are some steps to follow:

• Get some background information on your prospect.  Do your research.  Be familiar with avocations as well as vocation.  If possible, find out the prospect’s pet peave and avoid any mention of it.
• Smile.  A smile can be “heard”.
• State your name clearly and a little slower than normal.
• Leave your phone number at the beginning of the message, spoken slowly, deliberately, and then repeated at normal speed.  That way, if the prospect does want to call you back, only the first part of your message will have to be listened to, and the prospect will appreciate your taking time to clearly enunciate your phone number slowly enough that it can be written down the first time.
• Do some research so you have a grabber value proposition from the start.
• Be substantive.  Your message has to have some “meat” to it.
• Make a compelling challenge that matters to your prospect as part of the message.
• Mention a common colleague or someone who has referred you. You worked hard for the referral. Use it.
• Don’t expect a call back the first time you leave a message.  You may get one, but be realistic:  if this person has never talked to you before and/or is a very busy person, you may be overlooked.  Research indicates that more than half of all phoned prospects won’t return your call until you have tried to reach them more than nine times!  Persistency will pay off.  Create and follow a call back plan for each prospect.

Some of the worst mistakes you can make in prospecting by phone: 

• Pretending you have called before when you haven’t. .
• Not having planned your message in advance.
• You leave a rambling message that you’re later ashamed to have done.
• Talking about product.
• Not leaving your full name and complete call-back information.
• Giving up altogether if you don’t get a call-back, even after leaving several messages.
• Leaving a message that’s so short it doesn’t give the prospect a compelling reason to call you back – or pick up the next time you call.
• Failing to stick to one topic per voicemail message. You can’t mention every business issue or trigger event you could address. Choose one for this call. Save the others for future calls.
• Letting too much time elapse before making subsequent calls.
• Speaking so quickly that you can’t be understood. Or worse, mumbling. Slow down. Drop the the “ums” and the “ahs.” and never start a sentence with the word “like” or “so”. 
• Relax, take a couple of deep breaths, and think “confidence”.  You’re good at what you do and you know what you’re talking about.

The phone message is a basic means of communication that is acceptable in virtually all business situations.  Be considerate of the person you are calling and leave a meaningful message.  The number of call-backs you get will increase if you remember and practice these time-proven these tips!