When cold calling, you will often get prospect voicemail boxes, so you better have a plan for your voicemail script. Here are some quick tips.
1. Don’t expect a callback
The first voicemail script tip is to not leave a message thinking that you are going to say something that will get the prospect to call you back. This may sound negative, but the reality is if you are calling a decision maker, there is a low probability that they are going to return a call from a cold call.
This is not to say that they are not interested or that you did not leave a good message, but more so that decision-makers are extremely busy and get a lot of voicemail messages.
This is important because if you begin to think like this, you can modify what you say in your voicemail script. This can also help you to prevent yourself from getting down and feeling rejected when you do not get any returned calls after leaving a number of messages.
2. Don’t ask for a callback
If the prospect is not likely to return our call, why don’t we change up our approach by not asking them to call us back? In place of where you normally say, “Please call me back at your earliest convenience” in your voicemail script, change it to “I will call you back next week.”
This is powerful for a couple of reasons. First, if you say you are going to call them back, you are actually keeping control over the next call instead of putting that responsibility on them.
In addition, it is actually a little rude to ask them to call you back. You are the salesperson, and they are the client. Wouldn’t it be a higher level of service if you took ownership of making the next call?
3. Don’t sound like a salesperson
Prospects begin to shut down as soon as you start to sound like a salesperson in your voicemail script. People don’t mind buying, but nobody enjoys being sold to.
As a result, try to sound more like a business person than a salesperson when leaving your voicemail message.
4. Don’t talk about your products
One way to sound less like a salesperson is to minimize mentions of your product and services in your voicemail message. As soon as you do that, you then become labeled as a salesperson, and the prospect may begin to put up their guard.
5. Educate the prospect
Even though we might assume the prospect is not going to call us back, we are not assuming that they will not listen to our message. And with that, we can use this space as another channel to communicate with the prospect.
Use this space to educate the prospect not on the products you sell but on how your products help. You can create voicemail messages that highlight the value you offer and the pain you resolve and share examples of clients you have helped.
6. Use brevity
This may be a given, but try to use a little brevity with your voicemail message. It needs to be quick and to the point. No more than 20 to 30 seconds.
7. Be prepared
Try to be prepared by knowing what you are going to say. This will help you eliminate the “uhs” and “us.” Try practicing your voicemail script beforehand so that you are sharp when the voicemail is recorded.