More often than not you call a potential customer and bump into their answering machine. It’s quite common, and you shouldn’t let it discourage you — there’s plenty you can still do to make sure they call back.
There isn’t much mystery — the secret to a perfect voicemail is balance. It should be short, but informative. To the point, but not rushed. How do we achieve that balance?
By following these simple rules:
1. Know what you want to say
It’s important to have a short script with what you need to say written down. Then, there’s no mystery — just follow the plan and you’re set.
The pitfalls of professional voicemails are the same as any other professional phone call:
- Stuttering or repeating yourself
- Going back and forth on your thoughts
- Not getting straight to the point
- Long thinking pauses with “uhmmmm”
- Not stating who you are
- Not leaving your number
Those are all perfectly human things to do and they happen to everyone, but they can be avoided if you have a script. Just write down what you want to say, could be as simple as a list with the most important things, and make the call.
And yes, say your number out loud at least once. Preferably twice. The homeowner will feel encouraged to take note and call you back.
2. Answer their questions before they ask them
We’ve already covered what your first sentence should look like, but those are not the only questions a homeowner will have — and since we’re talking voicemails, you should answer them without them having to ask.
Here’s a rundown of the questions a homeowner would be asking you, if they could:
- Who are you?
- Why are you calling?
- What are you offering?
- Why should I call back?
- What’s your phone number?
Knowing these, you can compose a voicemail that says everything they need to know. But don’t forget to…
3. Make it quick and simple
People don’t appreciate anyone wasting their time, especially over the phone, and even less during voicemails. When was the last time you heard a two-minute voicemail until the end?
So jump straight to the point - if they need your services, they will listen.
If we’re talking numbers, keep it under 30 seconds.
4. Make them WANT to call you back
Assuming the person you’re calling is already interested in your services, this should be easy. Simply end the call with an offer or a proposition, and they will naturally feel inclined to call you back.
Now let’s get practical. By combining everything we’ve said so far, here’s an example of what a nice voicemail looks like:
“Hi, my name is John and I’m calling from John’s Remodelling. I’ve received your request for a kitchen remodelling service here in Boston and I’d love to give you a free quote on that. Give me a call back on this number, it’s 1-844-HOMEYOU. Let me repeat that for you: 1-844-HOMEYOU. Thank you and have a great day.”
Make sure the room you’re calling from has no interference or ambient noise. Speak calmly and clearly.
5. Follow up if they never reply
So you’ve left the perfect voicemail and the homeowner never called back. What have you done wrong?
Probably nothing. There are dozens of reasons why this potential customer failed to call back: maybe they didn’t check (or ignored) voicemail, or maybe they heard it and even took note of your number, but for whatever reason forgot to call back.
The best course of action is setting up a time to call again. Try calling later that day, but be mindful of when during the day you’re calling. For example, if you’ve tried calling in the morning and they didn’t pick up, try in the afternoon.
If the homeowner still can’t be reached and you have to rely on voicemail again, don’t fret. Leave a quick follow up voicemail:
“Hi, this is John from John’s Remodelling. I’ve left you voicemail earlier on your request for a free quote on kitchen remodelling. If you’re still interested, I can give you a free estimate on your project. My number is 1-844-HOMEYOU. Thank you.”
And if they pick up? Take a look at the 5 mistakes contractors make when giving a quote and make sure yours is up to par.
Conclusion
You are now prepared to send professional voicemails, but don’t let the rules stop you - feel free to give it your own spin. After all, no one sounds the same, and you know your business better than anyone.
Want to grow your business? Sign up with homeyou and start receiving leads for jobs that will make you money!
Comments