Techniques for getting your message across in 30 seconds or less. Optimize your voice mail technique:
- examples of good and bad voice mail messages
- tips for achieving voice mail success
- #DOVoicemail
1. Copyright DiscoverOrg LLC, 2014 ®
Voicemail Techniques
Eleven rules to help you get your call returned!
Hosted by: Ian Seniff
Senior Client Success Manager
DiscoverOrg
info@discoverorg.com
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2. Copyright DiscoverOrg LLC, 2014 ®
Why We Are DifferentWho is DiscoverOrg
DiscoverOrg profiles key Decision Makers in IT,
Finance and Marketing at over 17,500 leading North
American and European Mid-Market, SMB, Federal,
State and Local Government Agencies, and Higher
Education organizations.
The data is constantly updated by DiscoverOrg’s in-
house team of 100 research analysts who conduct
thousands of interviews daily with decision makers at
the profiled accounts.
Each profiled account
comes complete
with:
• Decision Maker Org
Chart
• Direct Dial phone
numbers
• Verified email addresses
• Technology
backgrounds
• Relevant IT projects and
initiatives
• Revenue
• IT Budget
• LinkedIn and CRM
Integration
• Physical and HQ address
locations
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3. Copyright DiscoverOrg LLC, 2014 ®
Direct Lines The DiscoverOrg database contains over 95% Direct Dial
Phone Numbers and 98% verified email addresses.
Refreshed Every 90 Days DiscoverOrg refreshes and updates every profile
in its database at least once every 90 days.
Live Research Staff The data collected and constantly updated by
DiscoverOrg is managed through an in-house team of 100 research analysts.
Org Charts Org Charts on every account let users see a map of the decision
making hierarchy of their targeted accounts.
SLA guarantees at least 95% accuracy Our data is guaranteed 95%
accurate and backed by our Quality Assurance team with a 24 hour
turnaround time for any data verification requests.
Why We Are DifferentWhy are we different?
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4. Copyright DiscoverOrg LLC, 2014 ®
Beware the Voice Mail Sound Trap
Yeah. . .
What to do:Never do this:
Concise
Personable
Quick
Clear
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5. Copyright DiscoverOrg LLC, 2014 ®
Rule You goal is to get your call
returned, not sell your product
Keep it short. Get them to act.
The optimal voicemail
message is between
ONE
8-30
seconds
“In our initial campaign, our
messages were about 60 seconds in
length and our callbacks were less
than 10%. ”
8-30 seconds
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6. Copyright DiscoverOrg LLC, 2014 ®
Rule TWO
Repetition, Repetition, Repetition! The key to memorization is
repetition. Not only that, but if they didn’t catch your number the
first time, you have given them a reason not to call you back.
Repetition, Repetition, Repetition! The key to memorization is
repetition. Not only that, but if they didn’t catch your number the
first time, you have given them a reason not to call you back.
REPEAT YOUR NUMBER
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7. Copyright DiscoverOrg LLC, 2014 ®
Rule THREE
Never say “I will call you back”
How many times have you heard someone say they will call
you back and returned their call?
OTHER
PHRASES
TO AVOID:
It’s not about YOU or your PRODUCT –
it’s about THEM – their problems, their pain points.
“You’re a hard person to reach…”
“Hey there Mr. ____, your secretary said you weren’t
available so I knew you’d be the right person to talk to.”
“I’d like you to call me back so we can discuss…”
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8. Copyright DiscoverOrg LLC, 2014 ®
Rule FOUR
Use Body Language
“7% of the message is transferred and understood by
the actual words used, 38% is transferred as a result
of the way the words are spoken and a massive 55%
by body language”
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9. Copyright DiscoverOrg LLC, 2014 ®
Rule FIVE
Write a Script
What happens if the person isn’t there?
That gives you about 3 seconds to come
up with a message.
Are you ready?
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10. Copyright DiscoverOrg LLC, 2014 ®
Rule SIX
Call at the Right time
The best hours to call are from
6:45 AM to 8:00 AM and from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM
Use time zone changes to make as many calls as possible during the
optimal voicemail periods
Avoid leaving messages on Friday afternoons or Monday mornings
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11. Copyright DiscoverOrg LLC, 2014 ®
Rule SEVEN
Be Personal yet Professional
Mention the person’s first name at least twice
in the message
Avoid using a person’s last name
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12. Copyright DiscoverOrg LLC, 2014 ®
Rule EIGHT
Choose your words Wisely
Are you saying “um” or any other non-words? Are you using
over-used words? Are you using a word incorrectly? Are you
using generic techno babble?
Consult a dictionary or a thesaurus so you can change “good” to
“acceptable, pleasing, reputable, superior, valuable, etc.”
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13. Copyright DiscoverOrg LLC, 2014 ®
Rule NINE
Pace Yourself
Shorten your message instead of talking faster
Maintain a strong and steady pace to capture attention
Record yourself so you can hear the pace
Words
Words
Words
Words
Words
WordsWords
Words
Words
Words
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14. Copyright DiscoverOrg LLC, 2014 ®
Rule TEN Do your Homework!
"I would like to introduce myself"
is NOT a reason for prospects to talk to you
“I understand you just upgraded to
SAP Business ByDesign”
IS a reason for prospects to talk to you
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15. Copyright DiscoverOrg LLC, 2014 ®
Rule TEN(continued)
Use ’s Real Time Triggers to keep abreast
of projects you can mention on a call
Example:
“Hi John, this is John Smith at Company and I see you are
implementing Windows 7. If you are like Chevron or Shell
you’re probably dealing with backwards compatibility issues
with your legacy applications. We offer a server virtualization
software that will allow you to continue using legacy
applications within Windows 7 even if the application is not
itself compatible there. Would Thursday at 2 or Friday at 1 work
on your calendar for a quick call to discuss?”
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16. Copyright DiscoverOrg LLC, 2014 ®
TEN
Use DiscoverOrg’s LinkedIn and Twitter profiles plus
contact descriptions for details you can use
Work the Sphere of Influence:
“I just reached out to John (the VP) and wanted to
include you in the conversation.” Copy John in your email
to your prospect
Use DiscoverOrg to Garner Attention from Decision Makers
Target individuals based on their
Function Rank Location Other criteria
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17. Copyright DiscoverOrg LLC, 2014 ®
Rule ELEVEN
Use Voicemail and Email
Do voicemail and email within minutes of each other
Doing both provides an additional way to get in touch with
you and provides additional repetition (Rule #2)
Doing both highlights your enthusiasm for getting in touch
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18. Copyright DiscoverOrg LLC, 2014 ®
Thank You
Contact us:
P: 800-914-1220
info@discoverorg.com
www.discoverorg.com
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Hinweis der Redaktion
Picture of a stop watch?
If you can’t say it briefly, don’t say it at all. Voicemail is not “story time”. Leaving a long message is an invitation to have the entire message skipped.
Don’t leave information that would allow the person to make up their mind. Keep it short and simple. You want to open a dialogue not close a door.
Motivate them to take notes. Add a call-to-action to your message by providing a key date or something of interest.
Repetition, Repetition, Repetition! The key to memorization is repetition. Not only that, but if they didn’t catch your number the first time, you have given them a reason not to call you back.
This may sound strange but if you can physiologically emote your message it will come through on their end.
Project you message, deliver it standing, talk with you hands, it will come through on the voice mail.
The best hours to leave voicemail messages are from 6:45 AM to 8:00 AM and from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM. Aggressive people are usually working during these time periods, and the person receiving your message could potentially view you as one.
Wisely use time zone changes to make as many calls as possible during the optimal voicemail periods.
Messages left on a Friday afternoon are the least likely to be returned. For most people, Monday mornings are very busy and, as a result, only high–priority activities will get their immediate attention.
Starting off with “Hi, Mr. Smith. I hear you’re in charge of buying software.” is a sure-fire way to get you message deleted.
Mention the person’s first name at least twice in the message, but don’t use their last name. Doing so comes across as very impersonal.
The way you speak is a good way of conveying your background, age, professionalism and education.
Are you saying “um” or any other non-words? Are you using over used words? Are you using a word incorrectly? Are you using generic techno babble?
Consult a dictionary or a thesaurus and change that “good” to “acceptable, pleasing, reputable, superior, valuable, etc.”
One Two Punch – leave a voicemail and then send an email
And do these within minutes of each other. Do not leave a voice mail and follow-up that afternoon with an email. Response will drop when the two are not synchronized.
Adding an email companion to your voicemail will give the contact an additional way to get in touch with you and, as was mentioned in Rule Two, provide additional repetition.
Sending both will show that you are very enthusiastic about getting in contact with them.