Voice Mail Messages That Get Results

“Leave a message at the sound of the tone.” Sound familiar? More and more, placing a telephone call means getting a recorded message asking you to leave a message. And your message is probably just one of dozens. How do you increase the odds that your message will make a positive impression and be returned?nn In order to get your calls returned and the results you want, you must develop good voice mail techniques. Whether you want to close the sale with a client or make a good first impression on a new prospect, when the call really matters, good preparation guarantees that you will leave a concise, effective message. It boils down to content and delivery.nn Think first about what you want to accomplish with this call. Why are you calling in the first place? Do you want this person to call you back? Maybe, but it’s wasting a “hello” if that’s your only concern. Instead of just leaving your name and number, view this call as a chance to advance your cause. This is a golden opportunity to do more than merely receive a call back—if you know what you want to accomplish and plan on how to accomplish it.nn It all begins in the planning stages, prior to picking up the telephone. Before you make that all-important call, organize and prioritize your information by following these six steps:nnSix Steps That Will Get Your Calls Returnednn Step 1: Thinking in both broad and specific terms, write out what you want to accomplish. You may have a specific purpose for making the call as well as a broader objective. If you’re calling to make an appointment for a sales presentation, your specific goal may be, “I want to set up an appointment for a meeting on Friday.” And your broader goal, “I want this call to help me land this sale.” Always ask yourself how you can get the most mileage out of your message.nn Step 2: Gather up documents or information that you may want to have at hand when making the call. You may need the notes from your last meeting or phone conversation, prices, your schedule, the new rates.nn Step 3: Organize your message into a well-planned sequence of topics, in order of importance. One of the tricky things about voice mail is that you never know how long you’ll have to talk. If you stop to gather your thoughts in the middle of your message, you may get cut off. Some busy people only leave a few seconds for callers to record their message, so state the most important facts up front: name, company, and telephone number. For example, “This is Joe Jones from the WIDGET company. My number is 1-800-467-0490.”nn Make certain you say your telephone number clearly and distinctly, leaving enough time to write it down. It’s annoying to have to play a message three or four times to make out the phone number. There are people who simply won’t bother to do this and your message may be lost on them. Repeat the number if possible. Also, be certain to leave your full name. Don’t make your listener guess who you are from among the dozens of calls they may have received that day. nn Step 4: Ask for specific action. Don’t make the person you’re calling guess what you want. Speak up. Your voice should remain strong and clear all the way through to the end of your sentences. Don’t rush, leave a little space around the most important parts of your message so they are easily understood.nn Step 5: Now we can sit back and wait for the return call, right? Sorry, but if you expect to have your first call returned automatically, you must be living on some planet I’ve never heard of. The reality is that many people, probably even you, don’t respond to every message in a timely fashion. nn Be patient. Realize that yours is not the only message this person will receive today. And you might not be at the top of their list. If the VIP you’re trying to reach doesn’t return your first call, don’t let it drop there, most people usually don’t mind if you call again. The following tricks of the trade can pave the way for you to call back without being labeled a pest. Maybe you’ll even get your call returned.nn Let your VIPs know that you understand how busy their lives are by always giving them an out for not returning your call. Nobody likes to feel guilty. They’re much more likely to call back if they don’t feel that they are going to be scolded. Instead of whining, “You know, I’ve called four times already and you haven’t called me back!” use something like, “Sounds like you’re busy this week. If you’re not able to get back to me, I’ll try to catch you next week.” Or you might include something like: “I’ll check back with you early tomorrow afternoon if you don’t reach me today.”nn Step 6: Eventually, you have to end this time-consuming, back-and-forth calling. Ask yourself whether there is a way to conclude your business with one well-thought-out message. For example, you can use a voice mail message to finalize meeting arrangements: “…and I will see you then at 4:30 tomorrow afternoon, Thursday, the 4th.”nn You’ll want to know if they’ve received your message and are in agreement, so leave a callback number and ask for confirmation: “Please call me at 1-800-467-0490 to confirm.” They can let you know by machine that they got your final answer. Now you can both move on to other things.nn A word of caution: know when to stop talking. Don’t keep rambling on and on just because the tape is still running. Remember, you are taking up their time. We’ve all had messages that were so lengthy and convoluted that we fast forwarded through them or hit “Erase” long before they ended. Your message will be appreciated if it is brief and to the point. If someone asks you for the time, don’t tell them how to build a watch.nnAdjust Your Attitudenn Once you have a firm grip on your information, you must put yourself in the right frame of mind for the call by adjusting your mood, your humor, your frame of mind, your spirit, your approach, and your outlook on life. We are not one-dimensional creatures, yet we are going to leave a permanent record of our attitude and intentions on voice mail. Let the tone of your voice reflect your attitude and expectations. Use a tone that is appropriate to the relationship, but keep it human. You may be talking to a machine, but your message will be heard by a person. Mentally punch through to the idea of that person and make them absolutely clear in your mind. Speak to the person—not to the machine. Project through the machine.nn One way to create the right attitude in your voice is to dress for the occasion. This may sound silly considering that we are, after all, talking into a machine that talks onto a machine before it ever gets to a person. It doesn’t matter that they can’t see you. You can see you. Dress well and sit tall. It’s hard to sell yourself as a go-getter when it’s one o’clock in the afternoon and you’re still in your jogging shorts.nn The expression on your face projects through the machine when you leave a message. Some people leave voice mail messages with about as much enthusiasm as calling in sick to work. There’s no rule requiring that you must smile all the time. But if you want to convey an upbeat attitude, you should smile—we’ll hear it in your voice. After all, if you’re a successful person, chances are you’ve got something to smile about.nn Every time you make a call that really matters, it’s a step into the unknown. If you still question why all this preparation is necessary just to leave a voice mail message, it’s because the payoff can be substantial. Think of it as a timesaving device. Start planning your calls so that you will leave a lasting, positive impression that gets your calls returned and your business concluded.