The Best Summer Voice Mail Ever

My clients have complained about voice mail forever: “No one returns calls. All I get is their machine over and over.” At times, it seems like you are shouting into a black hole and frustration builds.

And as if voice mail wasn’t hard enough already, we get to leave our countless un-returned messages during a time of year when our clients have their minds on all things recreational, and business takes a back hammock to early exits and casual Fridays. Oh, and speaking of business (or lack thereof), we must also endure a sudden drop in the nation’s economy, just for kicks.

Given this Perfect Storm of events, no wonder why no one is returning phone calls! In a recent LinkedIn group comment, a buyer wrote this to me: “Bill, I get 60 voice mail messages a day. If I gave everyone 5 minutes, that would be 5 hours A DAY.”

This might read like a “don’t bother,” but I took it as the gauntlet of challenge being laid down. God knows how I love a good sales challenge (wink, wink).

So, here’s my idea: What if you said the following on a voice mail...

“This is Bill Farquharson calling from Farco. While things are quiet, I like to suggest that you consider a new vendor. Namely, me! Once summer is over and business improves, wouldn’t it benefit your company to have an alternative source? Now is the time, while you have the time, for thorough due diligence. I think you will find that we are competent, capable and an excellent resource to meet your needs. Let’s meet!”

A good voice mail is informative, brief and memorable. Be remarkable this summer. Use voice mail as an opportunity to demonstrate your professionalism and plant a thought that just might get you the call back you seek.