Follow up with leads and customers is an important part of any sales strategy. However, it can also be one of the most time-consuming activities of a salesforce. Represented salespeople often call only to reach a busy signal or leave a message and call again later. Ringless Voicemail Drops can be used as another form of follow up without having to talk to someone over the phone every single time. By providing a prerecorded message onto someone‘s voice mail box, companies can add value to their follow-up process.
1. Save Time on Repeated Follow-Ups
A b2b sales representative may call the same lead several times before reaching him or her. Calling through a dialer can be time consuming especially when the prospect is unavailable.
A results-oriented, voicemail-based follow-up mechanism can streamline it. After the message is ready, it can be sent to the prospect base by the telesales without a telesales’ having to give the same message again and again.
This provides sales teams more time to emphasize activities that require face-to-face interaction, such as speaking with qualified prospects, answering questions about the specific product/service, and progressing live opportunities.
2. Keep Your Follow-Up Process Consistent
Consistency is very important when handling that many leads. If there is no process, some will be followed up three times and some not at all.
Businesses have the ability to craft different voicemail messages at various points of the customer journey. For instance, messages could be constructed for:
- New lead follow-ups
- Product or service inquiries
- Appointment reminders
- Previous customers
- Inactive leads
- Event or promotion reminders
The benefit of this type of framework is that it sets expectations and provides the sales teams with a standard process and level of detail in their interactions, thus limiting the risk of losing follow-ups.
3. Reach People Without Interrupting Their Day
Timing, one of the most frustrating aspects of conventional phone calls, is an example. One of the reasons that it is frustrating is because the prospect could be at work, in a meeting, driving, or just not where the representative thought they would be.
A message left on voicemail provides the prospect the opportunity to listen to your message when it is more convenient for him, rather than at the moment of demand for a reply. It also enables you to give the prospect the information he needs and leave up to him his own next step.
It allows for a more flexible communication experience. However, companies need to be careful not to send lengthy or one-sided promotional messages. A concise relevant message is easier to understand and gives the customer a reason to respond.
4. Reconnect With Older Leads
Not all prospects are ready to buy immediately when they enter into the sales pipeline. Some may take more time, while there are some who may re-surfaced after weeks or months.
Older leads might be worth pursuing, yet are frequently ignored. Rather than just letting cold contacts lay, companies should instead devise campaigns to re-engage them.
For instance, the company could have sent a very simple message inquiring “Are you still interested in the conversation?” then if they do have a positive response, a sales rep can speak to the prospect on a more personal level.
By doing this, companies are able to leverage more “value” from their existing contact database rather than relying on getting new leads all the time.
5. Make Large-Scale Follow-Ups Easier
The larger a contact database is, the more difficult it is to implement efficient follow-up management. A small sales force will find it impossible to make hundreds or thousands of prospect contacts without other business.
Voicemail campaigns allow companies to efficiently manage high-volume communication. Contacts can be categorized based on the amount of interaction with the business. These categories can then receive targeted voice messaging.
For instance, you could set up individual campaigns targeted at new prospects, existing customers, dormant leads or reminders of appointments.
Nevertheless, which has to be emphasized is that creating a widespread reach should not be about transmitting inappropriate messages. Companies should ensure that their messaging is informative, user friendly, professional and relevant to each customer segment. Also, receiving the right marketing message applies to telecommunications, privacy, permission and marketing law.
How to Create Better Follow-Up Voicemails
Here are a few tips for creating better follow-up messages:
My name is XXXXX, representing the XXXX company
- Explain reason: Tell the recipient why you are contacting them.
- Brief: Don‘t bore the prospect with information or high-powered sales copy.
- Provide value: Give the recipient something they benefit from.
- Clear next step: State how they should contact you or reply.
- Sounds natural: Can make your conversational message easier to read.
- Customize as needed: Include personal details where appropriate to make your message more personal.
A helpful message left on voicemail should enable the recipient to quickly discern what it is all about in the first few seconds.
When Should Businesses Use Voicemail Follow-Ups?
Voicemail follow-ups can be effective at various points along the customer journey. They should be considered at the following instances: after a first inquiry after a sales discussion; before an appointment; or to follow up on an inactive prospect.
The best timing depends on who is the target and the campaign goals. The business should not bombard the people but find a suitable follow-up time.
Able to follow up and track responses and engagement. This will allow teams to discover what works and what is needed for their follow-up process.
FAQs
1. What are voicemail drops used for?
For sales follow-ups, calling interested prospects from the past, communicating with existing customers, reminders, notifying about appointments, reconnecting with warm prospects, etc.
2. Are voicemail follow-ups useful for sales teams?
Yes they can streamline the laborious ‘outreach’ process and give more focus to clients who respond to it.
3. How long should a follow-up voicemail be?
A brief message is simply easier to comprehend. Name yourself, explain why you are calling, and leave a specific next step. Anything additional will only be confusing.
4. Can voicemail follow-ups replace traditional phone calls?
They are better viewed as a complement to phone calls rather than a complete replacement. When a prospect responds, a sales representative can continue the conversation directly.
5. How can businesses make voicemail messages more effective?
Keep messages relevant, concise, natural, and focused on a clear purpose. A simple call to action can also make it easier for recipients to know what to do next.
Final Thoughts
Follow-up Done right allows you to follow-up with clients without wasting resources. A good system of capturing, and leaving effective messages, can allow a business to stay in touch often, touch older leads as well, and streamline getting in touch.
For companies trying to simplify regular outreach, automated voicemail drops can be an easy way to run large scale follow-up campaigns while simplifying management.
