Is voicemail a good way to make sales? It’s a rhetorical question. And, also, no.
We’ve talked about “the one that got away” before, and it bears repeating. It’s hard to bang the drum for voicemail as a sales tool when there are so many lost chances to connect because potential customers didn’t feel like leaving a message after the beep. Voicemail has some validity, sure, but landing a sale requires engagement and trust – and voicemail offers neither of those things. And when one frustrated prospect packs up and moves out – they take every single potential referral along with them.
So long, sales.
Here, in a nutshell, are four hangups we have about voicemail:
1. Voicemail is impersonal. Whether a customer is trying to call you, or you are trying to reach out to your target audience to push your wares, voicemail is cold and detached. Canned messages that may or may not be heard, and requests for information that slip through the cracks, can be frustrating, at best, or – worse – lead to missed opportunities.
2. Voicemail is time-consuming. And time is money. And your customers’ money is better spent when they can actually get someone on the line. At least, that’s how many consumers see things after being met with yet another disappointing and automated recording after the third or fourth ring.
3. Voicemail is all too often ignored – by everyone. In today’s digital age, email and texting and pinging have taken the place of good, old-fashioned voicemail. Many people – particularly the popular ones, like the people you want to do business with – simply don’t check their voicemail regularly, because there are just too many to sort through and most of what is there is unsolicited and unwanted. And chances are good that they don’t leave messages, either – unless they’re specifically returning your call. If they’re attempting to make first contact, good luck. They’ll likely move along to the next business on their list.
4. Voicemail isn’t a conversation. Asking paying customers who may have questions to ask, points to consider, or – most importantly – money to spend, to leave a message and hope for the best is a bad, bad look. You not only risk losing out on a lucrative discussion, but you make yourself out to be an indifferent and uncaring business partner.
Is voicemail a good way to make sales? We know one thing: using it as a crutch is a bad way to do business. Losing even one customer to an automated system could drastically impact your bottom line.
Outsourcing your calls to a premier answering service is a far better alternative. Focus Answering Service specializes in providing warm, welcoming, and knowledgeable assistance. Our agents learn the ins and outs of your business, its mission, and your industry, allowing them to provide stellar customer support, protect your reputation, and even drive sales. Solutions can be as simple or as customized as you need, and your callers will never know they’re speaking to an answering service.