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Secrets of The Voice Mail – Are You Scaring Your Leads?

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Scaring Your Leads

“Hello, You’ve Reached John Doe…”

Ahh, the voice mail. There are so many people in sales, yet there are so many that absolutely hate talking on the phone. I truly believe that the reason for this is lack of confidence within themselves, lack of confidence for their product or service, or a combination of both. However, that topic is for another time. Back to this topic; assuming you do have confidence and you do call prospects or leads – what do you say when you leave a voice mail? It matters – it actually matters a lot!

Calling A Lead

Suppose you had a lead come in through your website. They wanted to know more about an opportunity that you are offering. They left a phone number, which wasn’t required – but they did anyway. This automatically means that they want you to call them. So you should. Assuming you pick up the phone, it starts to ring, and then goes to voice mail – what do you say?

If you are an inexperienced salesman and aren’t quite sure how to close a deal, you may say something like “Hey ____, this is (your name). I just wanted to call you and tell you a bit about the opportunity. It has been around for ____ years. The pay plan is awesome – it is set up in this way ____. This opportunity is the best in the whole wide world and I want you to be a part of this team…blah blah blah.”

If you know what you are doing, your conversation will go something like this; “Hey ____, this is (your name). I just wanted to call and touch base with you. It’s important that you call me back when you get this message. I’ll talk to you then. Have a great day!”

So what’s the difference between the two scenarios?

To be honest, I could probably write a whole novel about the the differences. Seriously. For the sake of this article, I will keep it short and sweet.

Never forget; the goal is to get the lead to call you back. Period. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Too much talk and explaining results in confusion. Confusion leads to hesitation. Hesitation results in no sale or sign-up. Yep, it’s that simple. So call your leads and get them to call you back. Once they call you back, simply ask them questions.

  • Why are they interested in what you have to offer?
  • What type of situation are they currently in?
  • Are they serious about building a profitable business?
  • Are they willing to learn new material?

Once you know them a bit more, you are able to (and should) base the conversation on their wants and needs. See how that works?

You Are The Leader

In the eyes of your prospects, you are the leader, so lead the conversation. They are looking to you for answers. It is important not to bombard them with new and confusing material. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Nor will the business of your new prospect. These things take time. It also takes time to learn all of the new material. Be sure not to throw it all at them on the first day – especially over voice mail 🙂

About

Brock Blohm is the current CEO of Worldline Marketing. He teaches average people how to earn a large income by working from home. Brock enjoys traveling, hiking, exploring, learning, and meeting new people. Feel free to connect with him through social media!

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{ 18 Responses }

  1. Noel Addison says:
    Simplicity is the name of the game. Reaching for more can lead to negative results just as you have pointed out. By doing too much, you can really scare people off. An easier way of gauging whether what you are doing is good or not is to put yourself in the listener's shoe. If you like what you hear, then you have a bigger chance of them liking it too.
    • Brock Blohm says:
      You got it Noel! Simplicity IS key. Always put yourself in your prospects shoes. Always. That will give you an exact idea how how things look from their end. Great reminder! Thanks for stopping by!
  2. Neil says:
    Hi Brock, I thought you had some very good points. I think a lot of people lose sight of the overall aim and give customers the option to not call back. Cold calling can be really hard work however it can be a really productive way to get business if you do it right (or reasonably right). We get most of our business through cold calling and find that businesses in sectors that are not being killed by the current economic climate are quite responsive. it is great though when they actually do call you back from a voicemail message. Cheers Neil
    • Brock Blohm says:
      Hey Neil, "...give customers the option to not call back." Yes they do. And that's where the problem is pinpointed. Thanks for leaving your input. Much appreciated!
  3. Ann says:
    Hi Brock, Great information. I've always found that people aren't able to garner much from a lengthy voice mail message, no matter how professional it is!! It is always best to simply return the call and ask them to either call you back or give them a time that you will try them back later. It is a shame that it is necessary for you to write this article, but it is so needed!! Thanks so much for sharing.
    • Brock Blohm says:
      Hey Ann, You are very welcome for sharing. I am completely with you, it needed to be written. Short and sweet is the answer. Thanks for stopping by and commenting :)
  4. Kenji Kyushi says:
    People now are sick of attending these sorts of calls. I am Jack from ---. I am Peterson from --. This has been increased so much that we do not respond to even them who really have special offers. First we were receiving so many calls on our land line numbers and now the trend is on mobiles messaging. Excess in the such calls have ruined our mood that we will never call back. I don't think that it would be a good way, only the best way is introduce your offers first and then the other thing.
    • Brock Blohm says:
      Hey Kenji, I know what exactly what you mean. However this particular article was if someone put their information in a form on a website - they are expecting to be called. So these are not cold-calls. I think it's safe to say that we would all like to speak to a person, not listen to a long voicemail. So get them to just call you back, then you can talk in a normal conversation. :)
  5. Jason says:
    Very interesting perspective. Many times, though, I think it really doesn't matter what you leave on people's voicemail as they just hit return call and don't even listen to what you said. I know I've wasted a lot of long recorded messages that way.
    • Brock Blohm says:
      Hey Jason, I know what you mean. That has happened to me several times. :)
  6. Morgan says:
    Hey Brock! You have nailed it with this post! I hate receiving voicemail messages with a whole spiel of information. I don't listen to it all and I don't ever actually get around to calling them back. Short, simple and friendly are great keys to the dreaded voicemail. :) Thanks for the tips!!
    • Brock Blohm says:
      Hey Morgan! Glad we are on the same page! :) Thanks for taking a moment to leave your thoughts. Make it a great day!
  7. Mark says:
    Yikes! Cold calls...those ARE brutal. Personally, I hate them and will do just about anything to not have to do them. I'm an email guy...more specifically, an AUTORESPONDER guy. My hat is off to anyone who can do this. That being said, Brock, you message about keeping it short and simple is "spot on"! Getting them to call you back is just like getting an optin to confirm their email address. Great article...:) Mark
    • Brock Blohm says:
      Hey Mark! Actually, the angle of this article was, at least for me, a lead that comes in to an opt-in for - when they have left a phone number. These people are already interested in what you have to offer. So actually, to me - the calls are fun. They like to learn. I like to teach/pass along info. I couldn't imagine cold-calling. No way. You are trying to convince someone to be IN the warm market. This isn't fun - and it can be offensive. I will always avoid this. I'm with ya, short and sweet. Nobody wants to be blasted with all of the info. It's overwhelming and you will have tons of opt-outs. There is a happy medium, and you must find it based on your niche. Thanks for reading and especially leaving your input! Much appreciated!
  8. Ryan Biddulph says:
    Hi Brock, Super point here. Leave a short, sweet and direct message. If you really want to develop posture, don't even put the ball in their court. I like telling folks, sorry I missed you, I will call back tomorrow. I will do this for 2 or 3 days, then will leave the ball in their court. If they want it, they will call back, or make sure they are around when I say I will call. If they don't, I release on them. It's all about developing posture in this business. Never look needy, or desperate(like the long, rambling, weak voicemail you noted). This sends people packing before you have a chance to connect with them. Be confident. Believe in yourself, and your opportunity. People want to work with you, you don't need to chase them. Thanks for sharing your insight! RB
    • Brock Blohm says:
      Hey Ryan! Very valid strategy as well. If someone wants to connect with you bad enough, they will take time out of their day to accept your call or plan to meet you at the time of call #2. Going past the 2 or 3 day-mark really is pointless. They are obviously not truly interested - so no sense in wasting your time. They are tire-kickers. Coming across as needy is definitely not the thing to do - even if you truly are desperate. You are right - it's all about posture. Show confidence within yourself and your opportunity. People can pick up on that like a dog picks up a scent. Thanks for adding your input! Much appreciated :).
  9. Ming Jong Tey says:
    Hey Brock, Nice tip. It is important not to spill the bean when you are not even get to talk to the person. The intent is to get on personal touch and if possible secure an appointment to run through whatever plan you have (depending on the business model). Cheers, Ming
    • Brock Blohm says:
      Absolutely, Ming! It's all about building relationships. You can't do that very well by simply leaving a voicemail. Personal interaction is key! Thanks for reading and leaving your thoughts!