Etiquette For Leaving Voicemail When Cold Calling

There is a proper way and a wrong way to leave voicemail messages when cold calling. I'm not an advocate of cold calling; the odds of generating any amount of significant sales leads or new business are stacked against you when cold calling. But, it does work for a minority of people and some still do it. If you are a cold caller you must know the proper etiquette when leaving voicemail messages.

When you call on a prospect and receive his voicemail, your message must begin with your name and phone number, followed by your message or sales pitch, and ending with your name and phone number once more.

Before I explain why, let me tell you about a typical work week for me. In a typical week, I receive dozens of cold calls. People pitch me all kinds of products and services. Unlike most people, I actually don't mind receiving these calls. I enjoy hearing the various sales techniques that salespeople use. I’ve heard them all. I don't normally respond to them, but I at least hear them out. I don't always get to answer my phone, so logically many of these calls go to my voicemail.

Some of these voicemails amaze me. You wouldn’t believe how many times I get a voicemail that is a couple of minutes long and, often, the caller doesn't leave his return phone number until the very end. What happens if, as he is leaving his phone number, I get distracted, or I get a beep from my calling waiting, or background noise from his end garbles up the phone number? What would happen is that I would miss the phone number. That means that if I were interested in returning his call I would have to listen to the entire message again to get his number. Do you think I have time to do that? Do you think that any executive or decision maker has time for it for that matter? NO!

When leaving voicemail messages while cold calling you must start each message with your name and number, followed by your message, and ending with your name and number again. It's proper etiquette. It will increase your ratio of call backs. If someone misses your number and has to listen to your message again he won’t have to listen to the entire voicemail.