Salespeople and recruiters!
Are you frustrated by voicemail?
Do you keep getting lost in voicemail mazes?
Ever feel like your sales calls are being screened?
If you’re being disciplined in your approach to cold calling and hitting your daily number of dials, you’re probably listening to a lot of voice mail messages. What should you do to get through to more people?
Recently I gave a presentation on this topic to the Recruiter Network.
Here is some advice:
1. Call back later
Make at least five attempts to get the person live before leaving a message. Try calling at different times during the day – early morning, right before or after lunch, after 5.
I've always found the best times to reach someone is before 9am, 11:30ish, 3:30-5:30.
2. Make sure you try different days
Monday mornings typically stink because people are getting ready for their week or in early meetings. Friday afternoons stink, especially in cold weather states in the spring and summer because people leave early to enjoy nice weather. That doesn't give you an excuse to NEVER try on those days!
3. Be brief
When leaving a message, the goal is to get them to call you back.
It’s NOT to go through your opening pitch. So the shorter and more direct you are the better. Try “Hi ___, this is (your first & last name). 414.325.8425. Then hang up.
The prospect will probably wonder who you are and how they know you. This message will usually result in one of three things:
a. prospect will call you back and either pretend they know you or say they don't know you but want to know why you are calling
b. your message will sit on their desk and will eat at their curiosity until you call them back
c. when you call back their gatekeeper will try to get more information from you
4. Be prepared
The trouble with leaving a message is you put some control in the prospect’s hands. When cold calling you can get your “game face” on and be completely focused on the prospect you’re calling. When they call you back, you’ll be in the middle of something else and it will take you a moment to get into sales mode. Keep track of where you’ve left messages and have your notes or files handy so you can grab them when they call back.
5. Wait two days before calling them back
Once you leave a message you need to give the prospect a chance to return it. However, if they have not called you back within two business days, put them back in your calling queue and dial again on the third day.
6. Repeat and don’t give up
If you keep getting their voice mail, keep making your calls and start leaving more details on the message you leave every third attempt. Your persistence will pay off. A busy executive once told me he doesn’t even pay attention until a sales person calls at least 7 times. Most sales people give up after 2-3 attempts.
7. Slow down
Make a conscious effort to relax and speak clearly. Take a deep breath. Be confident and smile. They’ll hear it on the message you leave and will be more inclined to call you back. On the other hand, if you're nervous or rushed it just gives them a reason to delete your message and ignore you.
8. Smile
Be yourself. If you smile when you talk your voice will have a brighter, upbeat, tone making you sound more friendly and leading people to want to talk to you. Remember, it is not always what you say but how you say it.
9. Drop an octave
By talking slower and more relaxed you will naturally have a more resonate tone to your voice. That will be more pleasing and lead to more call backs.
10. Don't be afraid to make mistakes
You don't always have to be the smoothest talker. If you make a mistake make a little joke out of it and MOVE ON. DON'T DWELL on the mistake. People like talking to human beings. Knowing that you are human and not a slick talking sales machine will lower their defenses and they will be easier to talk to.
There are some tips for you. Feel free to share what works for you.
Thanks to Mike Carroll of Intelligent Conversations for contributing to this post.
Are you frustrated by voicemail?
Do you keep getting lost in voicemail mazes?
Ever feel like your sales calls are being screened?
If you’re being disciplined in your approach to cold calling and hitting your daily number of dials, you’re probably listening to a lot of voice mail messages. What should you do to get through to more people?
Recently I gave a presentation on this topic to the Recruiter Network.
Here is some advice:
1. Call back later
Make at least five attempts to get the person live before leaving a message. Try calling at different times during the day – early morning, right before or after lunch, after 5.
I've always found the best times to reach someone is before 9am, 11:30ish, 3:30-5:30.
2. Make sure you try different days
Monday mornings typically stink because people are getting ready for their week or in early meetings. Friday afternoons stink, especially in cold weather states in the spring and summer because people leave early to enjoy nice weather. That doesn't give you an excuse to NEVER try on those days!
3. Be brief
When leaving a message, the goal is to get them to call you back.
It’s NOT to go through your opening pitch. So the shorter and more direct you are the better. Try “Hi ___, this is (your first & last name). 414.325.8425. Then hang up.
The prospect will probably wonder who you are and how they know you. This message will usually result in one of three things:
a. prospect will call you back and either pretend they know you or say they don't know you but want to know why you are calling
b. your message will sit on their desk and will eat at their curiosity until you call them back
c. when you call back their gatekeeper will try to get more information from you
4. Be prepared
The trouble with leaving a message is you put some control in the prospect’s hands. When cold calling you can get your “game face” on and be completely focused on the prospect you’re calling. When they call you back, you’ll be in the middle of something else and it will take you a moment to get into sales mode. Keep track of where you’ve left messages and have your notes or files handy so you can grab them when they call back.
5. Wait two days before calling them back
Once you leave a message you need to give the prospect a chance to return it. However, if they have not called you back within two business days, put them back in your calling queue and dial again on the third day.
6. Repeat and don’t give up
If you keep getting their voice mail, keep making your calls and start leaving more details on the message you leave every third attempt. Your persistence will pay off. A busy executive once told me he doesn’t even pay attention until a sales person calls at least 7 times. Most sales people give up after 2-3 attempts.
7. Slow down
Make a conscious effort to relax and speak clearly. Take a deep breath. Be confident and smile. They’ll hear it on the message you leave and will be more inclined to call you back. On the other hand, if you're nervous or rushed it just gives them a reason to delete your message and ignore you.
8. Smile
Be yourself. If you smile when you talk your voice will have a brighter, upbeat, tone making you sound more friendly and leading people to want to talk to you. Remember, it is not always what you say but how you say it.
9. Drop an octave
By talking slower and more relaxed you will naturally have a more resonate tone to your voice. That will be more pleasing and lead to more call backs.
10. Don't be afraid to make mistakes
You don't always have to be the smoothest talker. If you make a mistake make a little joke out of it and MOVE ON. DON'T DWELL on the mistake. People like talking to human beings. Knowing that you are human and not a slick talking sales machine will lower their defenses and they will be easier to talk to.
There are some tips for you. Feel free to share what works for you.
Thanks to Mike Carroll of Intelligent Conversations for contributing to this post.
Ev
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