You’ve researched. You’ve practiced your script. You’ve picked up the phone and are ready to speak to your prospect. But when the moment comes, you’re met with the beep of voicemail. What do you do? If you’re like 80% of people, you probably don’t leave a message. But as a sales pro, you should be […]
You’ve researched. You’ve practiced your script. You’ve picked up the phone and are ready to speak to your prospect. But when the moment comes, you’re met with the beep of voicemail.
What do you do?
If you’re like 80% of people, you probably don’t leave a message. But as a sales pro, you should be part of the 20% that do. Especially if you want to stand out from the competition who just hang up after the beep.
Is it worth it to leave voicemails in sales?
You might see that the majority of people don’t leave a voicemail and be tempted to think that they’re onto something. Maybe voicemail just isn’t worth it, right?
Wrong. Ignoring voicemails is “a big mistake for XDRs,” according to Clinton Patterson, Vice President of Global Business Development at Lusha. Will one voicemail get you an immediate response? Not always. But even if it doesn’t, think of it as another valuable touchpoint. “If you add telephone calls to your email cadence,” says Clinton, “your engagement goes up exponentially. And if you add voicemails to your telephone calls, it doubles again.”
Think of it from the buyer’s perspective. “I got probably 11 calls on my phone today, which I didn’t answer because I don’t know who they’re from. None of them left me a voicemail, which means they could be promising me something amazing, but I’ll never know because they never told me how to call them back.”
The value of voicemail by the numbers
Only 19% of people in the US will answer a phone call from an unknown number, according to the Pew Research Center. But that doesn’t mean your cold call efforts are a bust.
Voicemail is a quick way to get through to those contacts who don’t want to pick up the phone and chat with a stranger. According to the same research, 67% of people will listen to voicemails from unknown numbers.
Meanwhile, only 25% of people will read an email from a company or contact they don’t recognize. That means your voicemail has a much higher chance of getting through to potential customers than an email.
Leaving a (well-scripted) message after the tone instead of hanging up can increase your response rate by 22%.
And don’t forget what we mentioned at the start – only 20% of people leave voicemails. That means that when you send a voicemail to a customer, you’re only competing with 20% of salespeople with a touchpoint that has an almost 70% chance of getting attention from your prospects and increases your chance of a response by 22%.
When you do the math, why wouldn’t you leave a voicemail?
The right way to leave a cold call voicemail
Now, before we get too carried away, let’s not forget that the increased chance of a response doesn’t just come from any ol’ voicemail – it has to be a well-crafted one. So…what’s the best way to leave a voicemail?
First things first, your voicemail should contain five basic parts:
- Your name
- The relevant reason you’re calling
- A compelling benefit of calling you back
- A direct request that they return your call, including contact information
- A promise of a follow-up (tell them when you’ll call or email next)
And it’s not just about the structure. As you’re planning your voicemail, think about what you say and how you say it. We’ve collected some tips below:
- Try to keep it 10 seconds or less – short, sweet, and to the point.
- Focus on your tone – it’s not just what you say, but how you say it.
- Say your contact information twice.
- Don’t pitch in a voicemail – remember your goal is simply to get a call back.
- Don’t speak too quickly.
Leave a voicemail for the right person
Perhaps the most important voicemail tip? Make sure you’re calling (and leaving a message for) the right person in the first place. In a recent survey, 37% of sales pros said targeting the wrong person in an organization was a top reason for losing prospects.
You won’t get a call back if you don’t leave a voicemail, but you also won’t get a call back if you’re barking up the wrong tree. Instead of jumping through hoops trying to find the decision-maker hidden among gatekeepers (or even worse, calling the company switchboard and crossing your fingers), use a sales intelligence tool to get accurate contact information.
Lusha’s B2B database was built with a focus on validated, direct contact information so you can reach exactly who you need. Instead of calling the company HQ, go for your prospect’s direct line or mobile number instead. So what are you waiting for? Try Lusha for free and find your ideal customer today. And if they don’t pick up, leave a message.
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