Voice Mail 101

As an owner of a company I get quite a few calls each week from sales professionals. Not very many make an impression on me and a very low percentage call more than once. Both are major mistakes in selling over the phone.

Two important points to remember if you don't get anything else from this posting:

1. You can't suck when you leave a message on voice mail.

2. If a prospect doesn't call you back after you leave a message for them don't worry. They are not supposed to call you back.

If you take these two points to heart, you'll make more money from your voice mail opportunities. You'll sound better and you'll be more persistent.

Those are the basics. Voice mail is a great tool for getting the attention of your prospects and getting past the person who is "chief-get-rid-of-you." Receptionists and assistants have the same job - protect their boss. Here are three reasons why I return voice mail messages:

Number 1 - The person leaving the message is pumped up and excited about the product or service they are offering and has peaked my interest.

Number 2 - The person leaving the message is "real" and conveys such by being funny or naturally conversational. They aren't talking "up" to me but act like they are on an equal footing.

Number 3 - The person leaving the message is number 1 or number 2 and is leaving their message consecutively. Could be for a second time, but usually for the third or fourth time. They deserve an "E" for effort and I give it to them for calling back and being persistent.

Remember though, they have to be "1" or "2" for the call back. If they are boring, monotone or sound like they are reading a script - no call back - even if they've called a dozen times.

Be aware of the simple fact that if a sales manager is doing their job - they are busy - sometimes very busy. Look at their daily planner and you won't see "take phone calls from people I don't know." You are an interruption so if you're going to interrupt someone you better be good.

Your voice mail message may be a take off of your opening statement from your normal sales presentation. One thing it MUST be though, it must POP with enthusiasm and get to the point. If you don't, you risk "POWER DELETE." Power delete at my office is when I push the number 3 on my phone within seconds of hearing a really weak sales person giving a really weak presentation over the phone. Bye-bye.

Your message may also leave a question on the mind of the person your calling or leave a "tip" or a positive quote of some type. I really like the idea of leaving a cool website - just make it something unique. Like being enthusiastic or humorous, the objective is to be DIFFERENT from the other ten people who have called the same potential client that day.

One idea I really like is to leave multiple messages that build on one another... like a story. Add excitement, humor and good information and you will blow away your prospect. I tell you people will call you back!

Want more information on this story idea? Give me a call at 800-486-7586, extension 216. Leave a message... if I call you back, that's a good sign.

TK