The Ultimate Guide to Leaving Voicemails During Cold Calls

Cold calling encompasses more than just two-way conversations with new prospects; it encompasses voicemails as well. According to ZoomInfo, it takes B2B sales reps an average of eight attempts to reach a prospect. For every eight prospects whom you call, for instance, you can expect only one of them to answer. The good news is that you can leave a voicemail for prospects who don't answer. Leaving voicemails during cold calls can help you reach more prospects and, ultimately, generate more sales.

Leave Voicemails Manually

Always leave cold calling voicemails manually. Some B2B sales reps use software to automate this prospecting tactic. There's software available that will convert text-based messages into an automated recording. The problem with using software to automatically leave cold calling voicemails is that it creates the impression of spam.

In the B2B industry, buyers and prospects are frequently targeted with spam. When they hear an automated recording on their voicemail, they may assume it's just another spam message. Leaving voicemails manually will project a more authentic and genuine impression, which should result in more prospects returning your calls.

Be Conscious of the Length

The length of your cold calling voicemails matters. Long voicemails don't necessarily perform better than short voicemails. On the contrary, they may perform worse. You can't expect prospects to listen to a voicemail all the way to the end if it's too long. Even if your voicemail is compelling, some prospects will likely stop listening to it if it's too long. Leaving short voicemails, on the other hand, will result in more prospects listening to them while improving the performance of this outbound marketing tactic.

How long should your cold calling voicemails be exactly? While there's no universal rule, 30 seconds is typically the ideal length. A B2B marketing report by HubSpot found that voicemails ranging from 20 to 30 seconds generate the highest response rates among prospects. You can always experiment with other lengths, but try to keep your voicemails around a half-minute long.

Open With Names

Another tip for leaving cold calling voicemails is to open with names. The opening of a voicemail should reveal both the prospect's name and your name. Don't overthink the opening. For the opening, include a traditional greeting, such as "Hi John," followed by mentioning your own name and the B2B company for which you work.

Opening your cold calling voicemails with names is beneficial for several reasons. First, it's a form of personalization. When you mention a prospect's name at the beginning of a voicemail, you'll create a more personal message. Second, mentioning your own name at the beginning of a voicemail increases the chance of a response. The prospect may remember your name, in which case he or she may call you back at a later time. The bottom line is that you should always open cold calling voicemails with the prospect's name and your name.

Speak Slowly

It's important to speak slowly when leaving cold calling voicemails. Because short voicemails tend to outperform long voicemails, some B2B sales reps make the mistake of talking too fast when leaving them. Unfortunately, this can make it difficult for prospects to understand the voicemails.

If you speak too quickly when leaving a cold calling voicemail, the prospect may not understand what you are saying. As a result, your chance of getting a response will be slim to none. Most prospects won't respond to your cold calling voicemail if they can't understand what you are saying. To overcome this challenge, speak slowly when leaving cold calling voicemails.

Pique Curiosity

You should try to pique the curiosity of prospects when leaving cold calling voicemails. Remember, cold calling is considered an outbound prospecting or marketing tactic. Like with similar outbound prospecting or marketing tactics, it's designed to generate leads. You don't need to pitch your B2B company's products or services when leaving cold calling voicemails. Instead, you should try to encourage prospects to return your calls by piquing their curiosity.

To pique the curiosity of prospects, explain that your B2B company has a product or service that could help their own business's operations. You can essentially create a basic value proposition without going into the details of the respective product or service. To learn more about the product or service, prospects may return your call.

Create a Sense of Urgency

Cold calling voicemails with a sense of urgency often generate higher response rates than those without a sense of urgency. A sense of urgency will entice prospects to respond quickly. They'll feel the need to quickly respond to your voicemail so that they take advantage of your B2B company's products or services.

You can create a sense of urgency by mentioning an exclusive and time-sensitive offer. During a cold calling voicemail, for instance, you can tell the prospect that he or she can receive a discount on a product or service during the next 24 to 48 hours. With a sense of urgency, the prospect may quickly respond to your voicemail.

Close With Your Phone Number

At the end of a cold calling voicemail, mention your name and phone number. You should still mention your name, as well as the prospect's name, at the beginning. When wrapping up a cold calling voicemail, though, it's a good idea to mention your name again and your direct phone number.

Prospects who want to inquire about a product or service may attempt to call you back. If you don't close the voicemail with your phone number, they may struggle to reach you. Some prospects may do their own due diligence to find your phone number elsewhere -- your B2B company's website, social media profiles, directories, etc. -- but many simply ignore your voicemail while moving on to a different B2B company.

Consider Leaving 2 Voicemails

You may want to leave two voicemails. Assuming a prospect doesn't respond to your first voicemail, you can call him or her back. If the prospect still doesn't answer, you can leave him or her a second voicemail. Prospects who don't respond to the first voicemail may respond to the second voicemail.

While there's nothing wrong with leaving two voicemails for a given prospect, you shouldn't leave more than two. Leaving three or more voicemails creates the impression of spam.