Most sales professionals know an important rule in prospecting: Never hang up without leaving a voicemail. But, how do you get the prospect to listen to your message—and then return your call? According to Josh Slone, a writer for LeadFuze, you can apply some simple strategies to master the art of voicemail and boost your call-back rate.

In this issue of Promotional Consultant Today, we share Slone’s top tips for leaving a better sales voicemail.

1. Get to the point. Rather than rattle off the usual, “Hi, I’m so-and-so with Company ABC, and I’m calling to …,” Slone recommends leading with a solution you are offering or information relevant to a problem the prospect is facing. He suggests asking an attention-grabbing question and making it personal for each caller. The more unique the question, the higher the chances of getting a response.

2. Be yourself. Plenty of sales professionals are guilty of adopting the dreaded “phone voice” when leaving voicemails. You know how it sounds—high-pitched and incredibly enthusiastic. Instead of turning on this generic voicemail-leaving style, Slone recommends consciously lowering the tone of your voice to its normal level and speak as if the prospect is sitting right across from you. This lower tone and relaxed cadence will put your prospect at ease.

3. Leave two messages. It may sound odd, but tag-team messages are effective, says Slone. When you leave your first voicemail, you should aim to hook your prospect with an interesting pitch and a value add-introduction. End the call without leaving important details, such as your contact information and company name. Then immediately call back with a much shorter message and convey the previously omitted information with a brief recap of your first message. According to Slone, this strategy works because it puts your phone number front and center twice on the missed call record. It also makes you more memorable and believable.

4. Be subtle with your call to action. Chances are, you will not receive a return call if you end your message with something like “call me back.” Instead, it’s better to take a more subtle approach by using a phrase like “I appreciate your time.” Slone says that when you acknowledge that their time is valuable, the prospect is much more likely to share some of it with you.

5. Time it right. If you want to increase your chances of getting a call-back, avoid leaving voicemails when you know your prospects are probably busy. For example, do not call during lunch or first thing in the morning before they have had time to settle in for the day. Slone advises calling later in the day, so your voicemail has the greatest chance of being the last thing the prospect hears and remembers.

Even in today’s digital age of communicating via email, text and social media, you should still know how to leave a solid, value-packed voicemail. Even if you do not get a return call right away, a voicemail allows you to build brand awareness and familiarity. So, the next time you are tempted to hang up instead of leaving a voicemail, consider the tips above and leave a useful message.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers

Source: Josh Slone is the head content writer for LeadFuze. Slone writes about lead generation strategies, sales skills and sales terminology.