Cold calling: how to leave an effective voicemail
This week, I'm going to show you how you can leave an effective voicemail.
If you follow those tips, you will increase the number of replies or conversations you will start with your prospects.
And as an end result, increase your results.
Have you given up on leaving voicemails? Perhaps you think:
"Cold calling doesn't work."
"Leaving voicemails doesn't work."
"Prospects never call me back."
"Nobody checks voicemail."
When you're focused on the outcome AKA a prospect calling you back, you might feel rejected when you don't get what you expected. So you stop leaving voicemails.
So let's dive into how you can change that.
How to leave an effective voicemail
Most voicemail messages sound like this:
"Hi {{First name}}, my name is Elric from Chili Piper, I'm calling because we help companies like Facebook, monday.com, and Salesloft to increase their inbound conversion with scheduling automation and I was hoping to get some time on your calendar to chat. My number is 999 999 9999, this Elric with Chili Piper. 999 999 9999."
The problem with those voicemails, as soon as your prospects hear them.
They hit the delete button because you sound like other reps.
6 mistakes with voicemails:
Not leaving a voicemail because people don’t call you back.
Too long: you are focused on selling your solution.
Tricking people by pretending you know them: “Hey {{First name}}, it’s Elric. It’s urgent. Call me. My number is 999 999 9999.”
Don’t start with your name first and your company “My name is Elric from {{Company}}”: it's a cold call. Your prospect doesn't know you or your company so they don't care. They might know your company and have a certain assumption about what you do. Most other reps lead with name + company and you don't want to be lumped in with those guys.
Don’t reference failed attempts: if a prospect didn't reply it's because they don't care about what you sent.
Don't say "I'm following up": add no value to your prospects.
So if the goal of voicemail is not to get a call back from your prospects, the goals of your voicemails are:
Build familiarity: They hear your voice and the name of your company
Add another channel to your outreach: Even though your prospect didn't pick up. You expose your prospect to your message with this channel.
Create curiosity: point your prospect to your email: you don't mention anything about what you do or can help them with. Your prospect wants to know more about your email.
What to do with your voicemails:
Less than 30 sec: if you do more than 30 sec, you are selling. The goal of your voicemail is not to sell your solution.
Leave your information at the end of your voicemail: your name and your company. The prospect can see your phone number on their phone. It creates curiosity to listen to your voicemail until the end to know who called and your prospect will be more focused on your message instead of your name.
Let go of having expectations of getting a returned call.
Bonus: Stand out: start your message with something you found about them that ladders back to how you might help.
Here're some examples you can use:
Hi {{First name}}, I sent you an email yesterday about {{topic covered}}. Can you take a look at it and reply back? This is {{You}} with {{Company}}, thanks.
{{First name}}, no need to call me back. I'm about to send you an email with the subject line {{Subject line}}. I'd appreciate it when you get a minute to give me your thoughts on that email. It's {{You}} with {{Company}}.
Hey {{First name}}, I'm going to shoot you an email with an idea I was hoping to get your opinion on. It involves {{topic covered}}. Elric with Chili Piper, thanks.
Bonus: if you mess up, you can usually hit the # sign to re-record your voicemail. We tried this with my team, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. It depends on the countries you prospect.
Thanks for reading.
That's all for this Sunday. 1 simple tip for SDRs.
Quick Reminder: If you like my emails please do “add to address book” or reply.
See you again next Sunday.
Cheers,
Elric
❤️
Enjoy the newsletter? Please forward to a friend. It only takes 10 seconds. Writing it takes me 3 hours.
👋
New round here? Welcome. SDR Game here. Join the newsletter here :)