Voicemail is one of the greatest challenges — and opportunities — for B2B publisher sales. Here is a solution.
“Hey John, it’s Paul Legrady with Paul Legrady LLC. I saw that you are ____. If you can give me a call back when you get this, my number is 240-308-3292.”
This seems simple and straightforward. Let’s break it down.
(1) Hey (2) John, it’s (3) Paul Legrady with (4) Paul Legrady LLC. I saw that you are (5) (6) ____. If (7) you can (8) give me a call back (9) when you get this, my number is (10) 240-308-3292 (11).
(1) Implies familiarity
(2) First name has a more informal tone
(3) Caller’s full name expresses legitimacy of call
(4) Caller’s company name signals purposefulness of call
(5) Plainly expresses knowledge of prospect’s potential need
(6) Does not pitch solution to prospect’s potential need – this is not appropriate for voicemail
(7) “If” is not too pushy
(8) This is a straightforward ask
(9) Politely expresses urgency
(10) Does not repeat number on voicemail. It will show on Caller ID or cell phone anyway.
(11) Does not say “thank you.” There is no need to be overpolite for listening to a voicemail.
The entire voicemail takes 15 seconds from start to finish.
Many salespeople will simply hang up the phone if a prospect doesn’t pick up the phone.
Failing to leave a voicemail is a waste of time. If salespeople in the B2B publishing industry are calling appropriately, they will have researched the individual and the company they are calling– spending five to ten minutes preparing for a call in case their prospect picks up. This work will likely be in vain when the caller does not pick up and the salesperson chooses not to leave a voicemail.
Failing to leave a voicemail can compromise the brand of the company that is calling. An overly cheerful voice message from a rambling salesperson will almost always be left in vain, even proving counterproductive because it annoys the recipient. Ironically, these voicemails compromise the brands they were intended to promote.
Express familiarity. Understand need. Keep it brief. This increases the likelihood that voicemails will be returned, and sales opportunities will increase in turn.