Knowing What To Say On Voice Mail Helps

What do you say when you suddenly get the customer's voice mail? Did you know what you'd say before you called, or did you say what came to mind when the recording started? Were you caught off guard, unprepared? Were you confident and clear in what you wanted to say, or rambling and unsure?

Salespeople are often unprepared for the unexpected. What happens if you expect to get a live voice and instead you get voice mail? Or, you expect to get voice mail and the customer answers the phone "live"? Prepared for situations like these can be the difference in whether you get in the door or you get left out.

Many salespeople overlook the importance of spending adequate time preparing for persuasive voice mail messages. Those who do prepare are not caught off-guard, are clear in what they want to say and create greater customer interest. They will open more doors and get more sales.

Think about it. Your customer has been in meetings for two hours, she returns to her office and checks the voice mail. Your message is one of thirteen she will hear. Does your message catch her attention so that she listens all the way through it? Remember, her index finger is already on the delete button and she's just looking for a reason to dump you!

Can you get her interested enough to return your call? Will your message set you apart from all the salespeople that are clamoring for her attention and time?

You can if you prepare intelligently! Try these tips before you leave your next voice mail message:

• Stand up. If you are sitting you may be slouched down, looking at other notes or papers - your distraction can be heard or felt over the phone. Standing helps you get in the right attitude for the call - - and you will be more focused.
• Have what you want to say written out. Don't use it like a script- what if your customer does not follow the script. Have an outline in your mind from the words you have written.
• Prepare yourself mentally for the right attitude. The tone with of your message is more important than your actual words. You can speak clever words, but, if they are said in a timid or cheerless tone then she'll have that finger pressing delete faster than you can say "wait"! So be upbeat and cheerful when you leave voice mail.
• Choose words that sell. Remember, voice mail is a sales message…not a phone message. Every word you speak or write must contribute to your selling strategy.
• Focus on the customer. The call is not about you it's about her. Don't tell her about your fence, ask her about her yard! Good voice mails often utilize a closing question that prompts the customer to call back.
  
  Example: "Hello Ms. Jones, I'm Tom Franks with BN Systems, my number is 555-5555. I'm calling because rising production costs are burdening a number of small manufacturers in the area. Our company provides solutions that yield significantly less down time and save money. I was wondering what interests you might have in further reducing your production costs? Again, my number is 555-5555, please call me anytime."
  
  Notice how the question is imbedded into the voice mail message? Also notice that it comes immediately after the compelling reason we give her for our call - this is called the Elevator Speech Hook and every sales pro needs a highly effective one.
  
  
• Get to the point. Can a good 30 or 60 second commercial keep your attention? Sure, if it is compelling and applicable to your interests or needs. Ideally, a voice mail message should stay under 30 seconds to honor the customer's time.

An effective voice mail message captures the customer's attention and stimulates additional interest. Utilizing these ideas will make it easier to leave a message that is less likely to be deleted and forgotten.

Now go open more doors and close more sales!