Don't Lead With Your Name & Other Voicemail Tips

BY Jessica Helinski
Featured image for “Don't Lead With Your Name & Other Voicemail Tips”

Once you leave a voicemail, the power to call back is in the hands of the call recipient. It’s vital that your message makes the prospect or client want to pick up the phone and dial, and unfortunately, many salespeople aren’t leaving the “right” messages. On his blog, John Barrows emphasizes the importance of leaving targeted voicemails, and notes there are subtle strategies you can use to encourage prospects and clients to call you back. Read on for three highlights from his post:

  • Don’t start the voicemail by stating your name. It’s natural to want to introduce yourself immediately, but Barrows recommends NOT doing this. “The problem with this approach is that the majority of our voicemails get deleted right after this because the client either knows your company and therefor has a certain assumption about what you do or they don’t know your company and therefor probably don’t care,” he explains. Instead, start the message by greeting the recipient and stating the reason for your call, which needs to reveal a short value proposition (this is vital). Doing so will force the recipient to pay attention to the value you are offering rather than a preconceived notion of who you are and what you do. Finally, close the message by sharing your name and contact information.
  • Keep it under 30 seconds. Short and sweet is your goal. And, if you follow the above step, you will get to the point a lot faster, which will shorten your message. A concise, to-​the-​point message that shares a value proposition is all you need to cover, which will leave them wanting to hear more.
  • Don’t sell. Building on the last step (notice a pattern?), don’t use up a lot of time trying to sell. A voicemail, especially an introductory one, should not be used for selling. “Prospecting is about getting someone’s attention and earning their interest,” Barrows explains. “It’s about selling time or the next step, it’s not about selling your solutions.”

Reaching out to a prospect via voicemail can be an effective way to plant a seed of interest, and if you craft your message thoughtfully, you can expect a callback more often than not. Consider Barrows’ strategies the next time you leave a message!


Share: