Voicemail Tips for Sales Prospecting, Account Management and Overall Selling…

If your customer or prospect can’t understand your phone number, why would you expect them to return the phone call?

Make it easy for people. Leave your phone number twice on every voicemail, and when you say it, say it slowly to allow people to remember it.

This sounds simple, but it still seems to trip up far too many salespeople.

Salespeople are quick to assume that just because they have in their phone on speed dial the number of their key account contacts, that the contacts have done the same.

Sorry, it just doesn’t work that way.

Here are a few more quick voicemail tips:

When leaving a voicemail message, don’t use a Bluetooth or other audio enabled device. A call rarely comes through as clear on these as it does when you are speaking directly into a phone.

Never use the person’s last name. It sounds too formal.  Even if it’s a prospecting call, I still do not encourage stating the other person’s last name.

Make sure your voicemail message contains a benefit statement for the customer.  Again, very important in a sales prospecting voicemail. It’s about the prospect; it’s not about you.

Keep messages tight and short: 11 – 14 seconds. You’re right, that’s short, and it means you have to know what you’re going to say before you dial.  The only exception is if you’re calling a key account or some other type of customer you interact with a lot and you use voicemail to convey information, etc.

If it’s an important message you’re leaving, stand up to make it. Your voice will come across a lot stronger and more confident.

Don’t think for a moment your title is important. Unless you’re the CEO of a company, it’s pretty doubtful the person you’re leaving a voicemail message for cares about what you do.  Don’t waste precious time stating what you do.

Never leave enough message on a voicemail to allow the other person to make a decision without talking to you first.  The exception, of course, would be if you’re calling a key account or customer you interact with on a regular basis.

Tips like these will help you refine your skills and find more success when prospecting with the phone.  You owe it to yourself and your career to learn all you can!


Copyright 2012, Mark Hunter
http://thesaleshunter.com/