Note to Marketers: This tip applies to you too. You should be providing call scripts and other sales tools to help your sales team meet their goals!

So many sales people we've worked with or interviewed have told us..."I never leave a voice mail. It's a waste of time. They'll never call me back." There is some logic in this response, but only some. It is true, leaving a voice mail will not sell your product for you. But then, neither will a single phone call.

Leaving a voice mail WILL however gain some mindshare with your prospective or active customers. Think about it, it's better they know who you are and that you are trying to reach them than to not to of heard of (or from) you at all. That being said, a voice mail strategy can be so difficult to figure out. And, the key is the script! 

You need to have a voice mail script that you practice (so it doesn't SOUND scripted) to keep you focused on the task at hand. Otherwise, it's too tempting to ad lib and find yourself sounding like a ranting lunatic or a droning bore.

Here are five tips to a successful voice mail script:

• Have a single, realistic response goal. Don't try to sell your product or service on a voice mail. It won't work. And, don't just "introduce" yourself via voice mail and expect a response. You won't get one. But DO sell the concept of engaging with you at some level. Let them know you have a question for them, alert them to a new article you've published on your website or one that you are writing and need their input for, or reference a mutual contact you both have in common. Or, if you are trying to get a response from someone on a proposal you've submitted or a prospect who asked you to call him back later...and find they've gone dark on you...remind them (gently) that they asked you to contact them.

• Keep it BRIEF. No three minute commercials. In fact, keep it to 30 seconds...OR LESS. So many times, we feel that because we won't ever reach them, we must tell them everything we want them to know in one message. "Vomitting into voicemail" is the fastest way to getting your message deleted without it ever having been heard.

• Give them a chance to respond actively OR passively. Provide a mechanism for responding to your voicemail that is both active (your phone number) and passive (a URL on your website or an email address).

• Make your contact information CLEAR. Whether you are asking for a call back, or directing your prospect to a website, be sure the contact information is spoken clearly and slowly. It's also a good idea to give your phone number or URL at the beginning of your message and then repeat it at the end. Your much more likely to get a call back if the prospect doesn't have to listen to the message again to take
action.

• Let them know you will keep contacting them, but give them an out. Be persistent and let them know when you will try them back next if you don't hear from them first. But at the same time, let them know that if they aren't interested they can call or email you and let you know and you will stop "stalking" them. A friendly use of the word stalking is used here. We often find it adds humor to the situation and breaks the ice.

In reality, you should try to avoid voice mail all together and call early or late in the day. Still, voice mail is here to stay and should not be underutilized as a sales tool. Persistence pays, so keep calling and keep leaving voice mail until you get a yes or no response. Remember, leaving a voice mail is at least an "impression," which is better than not ever having heard from you at all.

Finally, make sure you keep track of who you've left voice mail for and what you've said, so that you are prepared should they call you back or email you! And, when all else fails, send a handwritten, hand addressed follow-up card letting them know when to expect your next call.

Source: Go-To-Market Strategies http://www.gotomarketstrategies.com