Calling prospects is one way for businesses to engage and connect with their customers. But when these calls are directed to voicemails, that’s when things can get tricky.
Studies report that 97% of sales calls are going directly to voicemails, while the average sales representative spends about 15% of their time leaving voicemail messages to prospects.
While these realities are not great for your sales calling strategies, the good news is that certain types of sales dialers have paved the way to offer solutions to these common selling pains. Here’s how Aloware can help you maximize your sales calls through voicemails.
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Why should you use voicemails in sales?
Should you really use voicemails during prospecting? There are those who skip contacting leads through voicemails since they can be easily ignored. However, these reasons will demonstrate why it’s still a great sales touchpoint that you should start investing in.
1. It increases efficiency
It only takes a few seconds to leave a voicemail. Whether it will be ignored or not, it tells your prospects that you respect their time but are still eager to talk to them. Calls that are connected to voicemails suggest that they are legit numbers that can be contacted at a later date or time. If you’ve set a great voicemail strategy, there’s an even higher chance of converting voicemail contacts into actual paying customers.
2. Better customer experience
Voicemails are great even for inbound calls, especially during callbacks. Voicemails represent your commitment to be available to your customers and assure them that their calls are very much valued.
3. It reduces agent time and cut costs
Voicemails give agents another way to contact a lead without putting too much pressure or effort. With Aloware’s dialer, for instance, it detects if calls are going to a voicemail, so you can simply drop a prerecorded voicemail message with just one click. Reducing time spent on leaving these voicemails can free up agents to allocate the time to live conversations. Integrating voicemails with sales campaigns is cost-effective, allowing you to reach a huge number of leads at a low cost.
4. It’s supported by automation
Prospects need to be contacted at least 8 times to be converted into an engaged or paying customer. This means that you should get creative when following up on different channels. This could overwhelm your agents, but thanks to automation, this can be manageable. Voicemails don’t need an agent to always be present. It can be set up easily and automated with your dialer.
5. It promotes urgency
It may not be the same as calls, but voicemails can still promote a sense of urgency especially if you use the appropriate voicemail scripts for business. For example, you can set up voicemails when billing is due or if a promo is coming to an end. This will motivate your customers and nudge them to take action immediately.
Aloware-approved voicemail tips and scripts
Tip #1: Add a little mystery
People are naturally curious creatures and will find ways to follow up on something that piques their interest. Voicemails may not always receive callbacks, but with a little creativity and a dash of mystery, well-crafted messages can improve response rates.
Sample voicemail script:
“Hey, Trina this is Lester. Have a quick question for you about your latest credit card bill. You can call me at [phone number] to discuss this further. I’ll be expecting you! Again, that’s [phone number]”
In this sample, the caller instructed the contact to call him, leaving other details hanging. Is it a major issue? Is it something that the contact needs to resolve immediately? These can only be answered once the contact calls the caller back.
Tip #2: Use your history
When making a sales call, most people tend to wonder how you got their details in the first place. To avoid confusion, give your prospects a little refresher by stating your intention plus a bit of history of when you first contacted them.
Sample voicemail script:
“Hi Trina, I’m calling from Hillside Real Estate. Got your number during our open house last week. Haven’t gotten a chance to talk to you. Let’s catch up and call me back at [phone number].”
This prerecorded message is brief, direct, but not too pushy. This might work for contacts that have shown interest in a product or service you offer.
Tip #3: Make it urgent
Running out of time prompts people to make a decision on impulse. You should do this with your voicemail campaigns by adding a deadline to your offer. In this way, you can trigger the prospect to take advantage of the time-sensitive offer.
Sample voicemail script:
“Hey, Dave! Your subscription is expiring soon. Please settle your balance before this day ends, so you can enjoy a free week of unlimited movies on your account. Or call us back now at [phone number]!”
When doing voicemails like this, make sure to add value for the caller. The whole point of making it look urgent is to give people a chance to do things before they regret missing this valuable opportunity. This works if you have ongoing promos and deals that you can offer or upsell.
Tip #4: Make it sound personal
Voicemails should never sound like an ad campaign. Nor should they sound like a rambling message that goes on endlessly. It should be short, quick, and friendly. Think of it as talking to a friend you haven’t seen in a while and inviting them for a quick catch-up.
Sample script:
“Hey Lucas, it’s Jake from [Company]. Just calling to let you know that you are qualified for our month-end promo. It’s made especially for long-time subscribers like you. Call me at [phone number] anytime you’re available this week!”
For SaaS sales, winning subscribers back or keeping them engaged can be a challenge. With Aloware, you can create effective voicemails that you can simply record and set it up automatically during dials.
Tip #5: A/B test your voicemails
The best way to know if your voicemails are working is to track their performance. This way, you can leverage your voicemail campaigns and find faults in your processes for you to develop further. A/B testing is a sure-fire way to keep efforts efficient and your agents more productive. It is also crucial that your voicemail has a clear call to action. You should clarify how the prospect should respond to signify their interest in accepting your offer or to discuss it further. If you will be sending an email after your sales call, inform them when they should expect to receive it.
Sample script A:
“Hi Stacy! I’m calling because you downloaded Book 1 of the Millionaire Books. How are you finding it so far? I have a couple more books for you to enjoy. Let me know if you’re still looking! You may reach me at [phone number]”
Sample script B:
“Hi Stacy! Greg here from Millionaire Books. I heard you downloaded our ‘Book 1’ — great choice! Did you know that self-made millionaires are also fans of “Book 2” and “Book 3”? I’m here to offer you more discounts if you’re still interested. Call me back at [phone number] and let me know!”
By setting different kinds of voicemail scripts and running them, you can identify which is more effective for your audience. With Aloware, everything’s automatically recorded so you can accurately assess the campaign performance.
How to use Aloware’s voicemail drop feature during call campaigns
You can use Aloware’s voicemail drop feature from both your desktop and your mobile app. When you are on a call and you hit a voice machine, you can select the voicemail drop feature to leave a prerecorded message with just one click. This also works while power dialing, so agents can swiftly move on to the next call.
To set up your voice messages, simply go to Aloware’s admin panel and upload or record your audio file to the VM drop library. For more information, read this article to learn how you can leave a voicemail after the beep without being on the call.
Voicemails can be a fruitful part of your sales process especially if you take the right approach in crafting persuasive prerecorded messages. It offers a convenient way to get your messages across even if your contact is not currently available. As a salesperson, you should maximize this technology and use compelling voicemail scripts that can boost your callback rate.
Aloware supports calling, texting, and other exciting features to give you the best contact center experience. Get acquainted with Aloware and discover more that you can do for your call campaigns. Book a demo with our representatives today!
