What does it mean to be a professional? It’s a word that means you treat other people with the manners and courtesy that makes them comfortable working with you. Today’s technological environment sometimes leaves us wondering what it means to be professional. Do we call back if someone says not to? What does a professional voicemail message sound like? Should you stick to a voicemail script, or what?
When you call up someone’s phone system and get their voicemail, it’s not a failure. It’s an opportunity. An opportunity to demonstrate, not brag, that you are a professional. Let’s look at all of the things you can do when you hear that beep:
We can’t start without covering the basics. Many people equate a “professional voicemail” with being polite. And that’s certainly a start. But professionalism also means paying attention to detail. Imagine if you were to leave a voicemail without mentioning any of the following:
• Your full name
• Name of the recipient, if important
• Your company name
• What it’s regarding
• Phone number for the call back
• Brief message
• Ending (i.e., wishing them a great day)
What if you left those off the voicemail? You might have come across as genuine and sincere, but not very good at your job.
But even knowing these bullet points, it still leaves one question...
If you want to work from a basic script, you can simply use the variables above and work in your own unique details:
• Hi (Name of the person), this is (Full name) at (Company name).
• I’m calling because (core message, what it’s regarding).
• When you’re able, you can call me back at (phone number). Repeat the phone number here, as sometimes voicemails can leave certain numbers sounding garbled.
From a sales perspective, you might also consider a professional voicemail to be an opportunity to use the AIDA formula: Attention, Interest, Desire, Action.
• Attention: After briefly explaining your basic details—name, company name, etc.—get right to the core message. You only have a few seconds of their attention, after all. Don’t waste time trying to politely explain why you’re calling. Don’t worry so much about making a complete first impression as making an impact. Move right to…
• Interest: Explain right away the pain point you’re calling about. What can you achieve for them? What possible motivation might someone like your target market have for calling you back? Keep it short and to the point.
• Desire: What solution do you offer? What can you do to eliminate that pain point? What value are you offering: a free demonstration, a free sample, what is it? Think about what the most compelling reason might be to call you back.
• Action: Now’s the time to fill in the rest of the details. If they’re interested, tell them to call you back at your phone number. To reiterate a key point: repeat your phone number. The action as we define it here isn’t a sign up just yet; it’s just the return call. Or you may use a voicemail script that directs them to a website without requesting a return call.
You don’t have to be overly salesy as you use this approach. In fact, as long as you hit the major AIDA points, the formula itself will do much of the work. As for your script, just remain polite, brief, and to the point. Trust that the formula will do the rest.
The above might sound fine, and it can work as a starting basis to create your voicemail script. But what if you want to work from an example to get a sense of how it will sound? Let’s use a sample voicemail of someone selling business widgets that save administration costs.
Good morning, this is Jane Doe at Business Widgets. I understand that you may be in the market for a business widget because you’re looking to cut back on administration costs. I just wanted to reach out because Business Widgets saves businesses an average of 30%. We’re offering a free demo of our tool tomorrow. Can I direct you to our website to sign up? You can find it at www.[your-site-here].com. In case that got garbled, it’s [your-site-here].com. Have a nice day!
That’s it. Notice it’s straightforward and to the point. It follows the basic AIDA formula by navigating through the customer’s needs and steering them toward a solution offering. It’s not overly cheesy, pushing the product, but instead talking about their specific needs and not asking for anything return except the offering of a free demo.
When you’re using a sales voicemail like this, it’s tempting to feel a bit uncomfortable at first. It may feel like you’re going door-to-door, trying to make sales. But working from quality templates and leaving a voicemail is about the least intrusive way you can get these messages out to the world. With a positive, polite tone of voice and respect for their business hours, you’ll find that a surprising amount of people may respond positively when they’re looking for a solution like yours.
We’ve mentioned that this can be the least intrusive way to make a sales call. Even less intrusive: skipping straight to voicemail without calling.
That’s why Slybroadcast does. Our ringless voicemail features means that you can dial someone, leave a voicemail behind, and do it quickly—all while without interrupting someone during their business hours. Learn more about HIPAA compliant voicemails if you are interested in that too!
Think about it. Have you ever been predisposed against a caller because they interrupted some important work you were doing? The Slybroadcast method of leaving a voicemail directly without calling gets right around that. It’s an ideal tool for anyone with a small business who wants to know how to leave a professional voicemail. After all, you only get one chance at a first impression. It’s important to make it count.
Want to learn what a ringless voicemail is? Do you have additional questions on how to leave a voicemail without calling? Email us at support@slybroadcast.com.