Voicemail: get your call returned

Voicemail is a convenience that almost all of us both love and hate. We love it when we use it but we hate it when someone we're calling does. We often do not get calls returned when we leave messages, and overcoming that problem is the focus of today's post. Let's assume that you are cold calling a new client, you get their voicemail, and your short term goal is to get a return call.

First the basics: don't leave any information that will predispose the client to making a decision one way or the other about your product or service. For example don't tell them you want to sell them advertising space in your company's magazine. Instead simply say that you are calling from (insert name here) magazine and would like to speak with them about "some ideas." Always leave your complete phone number twice so that they have time to write it down without replaying your message. 

Never ask for a call back at a specific time or within a specific time frame. This only serves to give the other party a reason for not calling. For the same reason never state in the message that you will call them back, even if you plan on doing so. 

Do not make cold calls on Mondays or Fridays. Mondays are spent "catching up" from the weekend and can be very busy. Fridays are often wasted days spent planning weekend activities and finishing up small "house cleaning" tasks from earlier in the week. Statistically, messages left Friday afternoons are the least likely to be returned.* 

Make your message an introduction and link it to something of interest to the client: an event or up coming function, a mutual friend or business associate, or even an interesting and applicable news item. The stronger this personal tie is, the more likely you will get your call returned.

Lastly, voicemail is like a small sticky note, not a full sheet of college ruled composition paper. Keep it short and to the point. If you tend to ramble, you should rehearse or even jot down a "script" before you call. If this "script" takes up two pages tear it up and try again.

*Hunter, Mark. Voicemail Survival for the Sales Professional