• Posted On Monday, March 04, 2019 by SalesLeads, Inc

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    It's not something that most construction hoisting and lifting sales reps want to hear, but statistics show that 97% of all sales calls go to voicemail. When a prospect doesn't answer your sales call, you can leave a voicemail asking them to return your call. It's a simple yet effective strategy that can drive conversions when performed correctly. Unfortunately, some sales reps take the wrong approach when leaving voicemails by making the following mistakes.

    #1) Speaking Too Softly

    When leaving voicemails, speak loudly and clearly enough so that the prospect can easily hear you. If you speak too softly, the prospect may struggle to understand your message, in which case he or she probably won't return your call. It's not a bad idea to leave a voicemail on your own phone, which you can play back to hear firsthand how you sound.

    #2) Talking Too Long

    The secret to leaving effective voicemail is to keep them short and concise. If you spend too much time talking, you may struggle to keep the prospect's attention when he or she replays it. So, how long should your voicemails be? Studies have shown that 20 to 30 seconds is usually the sweet spot.

    #3) Leaving Too Many Voicemails

    Don't make the mistake of leaving too many voicemails. If a prospect doesn't return your call, avoid leaving a second or third voicemail (at least for a while). No one wants to discover a half-dozen voicemails from the same company left on their phone. Even if it sounds like an effective way to reach prospects, it will only discourage them from renting or purchasing your cranes.

    #4) Not Leaving Enough Voicemails

    With that said, you may still need to leave multiple voicemails for the same prospect. If you haven't heard from a prospect in over a week since leaving a voicemail, try calling him or her again. If the prospect still doesn't answer, leave another voicemail. Maybe the prospect forgot about your original voicemail, or perhaps he or she accidentally deleted it without listening to it. By leaving multiple voicemails, you can connect with prospects and convert them into customers.

    #5) Only Mentioning Your Callback Number Once

    Most people today now have caller ID, so they can see the phone number from which you called to leave a voicemail. Nonetheless, you should still mention your callback number twice. A good rule of thumb is to include your callback number once at the beginning of your voicemail and again at the end. Doing so helps prospects remember your callback number, thereby increasing the chance of a follow-up correspondence.

    #6) Overlooking Value Proposition

    Value proposition is a critical element of all sales calls, and voicemails are no exception. When leaving a voicemail, explain the value of your company's crane services and how they can benefit the prospect. Without value proposition, there's little or no incentive for the prospect to return your call. Of course, with only 20 to 30 seconds, you won't have a lot of time to talk about value proposition in your voicemails.

    #7) Not Addressing Prospects By Name

    It's easier (and faster) to leave generic voicemails, but personalizing your voicemails by addressing prospects by name will help you achieve greater results. When a prospect hears his or her name, it will immediately capture their attention, encouraging them to listen to the rest of your voicemail.

    #8) Leaving an Automated Voicemail

    There are certain sales tasks that you can automate, but leaving voicemails isn't one of them. Using software, scripts or other tools to automate your voicemails will likely result in few callbacks. When you automate voicemails, you won't be able to customize your messages, nor will you be able to humanize your messages. As a result, prospects will receive a generic voicemail that sounds like it was produced by a robot.

    #9) Not Providing Multiple Methods of Contact

    When leaving voicemails, provide the prospect with multiple methods of contact. In other words, don't just mention your callback number. While a callback number is essential, you should mention other ways for the prospect to contact you, such as your email address or company website. Even if a prospect doesn't call you back, he or she may send you an email or visit your company website, allowing you to reconnect with him or her and potentially generate a sale.

    #10) Assuming Voicemail Is the Best Contact Method

    If you're unable to reach a prospect via phone, you may assume that voicemail is the best method to contact the prospect. While leaving a voicemail can work -- assuming it's done correctly -- there are other ways to reach prospects. You can try sending a prospect a text message, for example. Statistics show that over nine in 10 text messages are read, making this a highly effective way to reach prospects.

    Now that you know the best ways to leave voice mail messages, do you have any leads or projects to call? Especially in the construction crane business, it’s vital to know where the new construction projects exist. You especially need to know the stage the project is in, and when the project will break ground. These vital components are found with SalesLeads, Inc.

    Our job is to uncover those projects and give you vital information so you can call…and if necessary leave a vital 20-30 second message. Here’s what you need to do to get the project report along with the project contacts name, email address and phone number.

    1. Go to the Industrial Project Reports page on our website.
    2. Scroll down midway through the page and click on “Free Project Samples
    3. Fill out the short form and click submit. Now you’ll know the valuable information you’ll receive. By the way, go ahead and give the free samples a call. They are current and waiting for you.

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