Leaving Enticing Voicemail Messages

Salespeople who call me should know better. I can't listen to their messages without evaluating them. The other day, I saved this voicemail so I could dissect if for you. Here's what the guy said:

(Please note: the names have been changed to protect the guilty).

"Hi Jill. This is Tom Smith. I'm a senior consultant with Intergalactic Services. We are the world's largest provider for audio, web and video conferencing. And I have a few ideas I wanted to run by you related to your current teleseminars.

And just basically, I wanted to introduce myself. So when you have an opportunity, please return my call. My number is .... Once again, this is Tom Smith with Intergalactic at www.intergalacticservices.com and the number once again is .... Thanks. I hope to hear from you soon."

 

What do you think? Good, bad or ugly?

Okay. Let's start out with the simple things. His message lasted for 42 seconds. Too long in my opinion. Based on the message he left, there are many things we could chop out of there. The key is to look at the message from the listener's perspective.

As the recipient of the message, I could care less that he's a "senior consultant." It may make him feel good inside to say that, but with all the title inflation going around these days, I just think he's trying to impress me.

I also don't really care that his firm is the world's largest provider. I know he's trying to show that he's a credible resource, but instead it sounds like the self-promoting puffery used by every salesperson who wants my attention. Boring!

The sentence about "ideas" piqued my interest - especially because he mentioned my current teleseminar series. Clearly he'd done some homework on my business. I liked that a lot. That's why I kept listening. I also wanted to know a bit more about these ideas.

Then he blew it! He really just wanted to "introduce himself." I don't have time to get to know every Tom, Dick or Harry out there. After introducing himself, then what? I suspect he'd want to tell me all about his company's offering, hoping to convince me to switch to his firm. Yet he's given me no reason to even consider moving from my current provider who, in my opinion, has done a good job.

And then he started rambling. His message dwindled and died. He won't be hearing from me soon.

So what would have worked? Here's just one idea that might have been enticing to me:

"Hi Jill. Tom Smith with Intergalactic Services. I know you've been doing a lot of teleseminars lately on selling to the corporate market. I have some ideas about how you can (insert valuable business reason). We've done this for (insert person/firm in my industry who I might know) and they've achieved (insert results). Let's talk. My number is ...  (repeat number). I'll try getting back to you as well."

Notice the difference. It's not about his company. It's about my business and my desired outcomes.

If your message highlights your firm's capabilities, products or services, perhaps it's time to revisit it. If not, don't expect it to work.

Comments

[Bill Caskey]

Jill,
Great post on voice mail. I've gotten that same message hundreds of times. I also suggest leaving a time that the recipient can get back with you...be specific ("between 9 and 3 tomorrow and 10-12 on Thursday"). It doesn't sound like a cheap beggar.