9 Pitfalls In Your Sales Voicemail Script and How to Avoid Them

Learn how to make your sales voicemail script work for you and avoid these nine common voice message mistakes. 

More and more people are letting their phone calls go to voicemail these days. This is especially true when they don’t recognize a phone number. Just because a call goes to voicemail, doesn’t mean your lead is dead. You have an excellent opportunity to offer your lead or client information and make them curious to hear more. Having a good sales voicemail script is crucial.

Pitfalls in your sales voicemail script can sting a bit more than mistakes made in live conversations because the mistakes are recorded. With a little preparation and some basic rehearsal, you can avoid these 9 common voicemail mistakes and leverage your voice messages as another method for building client relationships.

1. Saying the wrong name

Chances are, you are making more than one phone call at a time. It’s understandable that names get mixed up in your head from time to time. But when using a sales voicemail script, be sure you jot down the correct name so you won’t be caught off guard while leaving a message. The fastest way to get ignored by a potential customer is to call them by the wrong name.

2. Trying too hard to sell

When leaving a voice message for a lead or client, it can be tempting to share information on various insurance products and policies. You may even want to launch into a mini-speech about coverage needs and why it’s important to protect yourself and your loved ones with the right insurance. But a common pitfall in a sales voicemail script is to over-do it on the selling. Your goal in leaving the message is not to sell the product, it’s to get a callback. Throw out one or two interesting facts or topics to pique their curiosity, and then move along. Give them a reason to call back, so they can learn more.

3. Talking more than 20 seconds

Having a sales voicemail script is essential if you want to be efficient with your voice message. Keep your message brief. A quick opening, a short message, and your contact information. That’s it. Anything over 20 seconds and your lead or client will tune out or delete entirely. Rehearse your message ahead of time if that will help you to stay focused and concise. 

4. Rambling

Just as important as keeping your sales voicemail script brief, is staying on topic. You may be a seasoned professional who has been using the same script for months or years. But, it’s still a good idea to keep your script or talking points in front of you to keep you from rambling or getting lost in thought.

5. Rushing

Sometimes people get more nervous leaving a voice message than they do talking to a live human. Nerves can make you rush through your sales voicemail script at a faster pace than your normal speaking voice. Take advantage of punctuation in your script and remember to breathe at those commas and periods! 

6. Not leaving an action item

Picture this. You’ve come to the end of your sales voice mail script. You’ve just hung up, and you realize that nowhere in your script did you tell the customer to do anything. There was no directive to call you back, to reach out via email, or to learn more through your website. Without an action item, your voice message is all but useless. Be clear with what your goal is and stick to just one action item. Asking a client to call you back, email, and check out your website will dilute your message. Pick the action item that makes sense for you and your client and stick with it.

7. Forgetting to leave contact information

Sometimes insurance agents get so caught up in delivering their script that they hang up before leaving their contact information. Sometimes this isn’t a big deal since many callers will have caller ID. However, if your number comes up blocked, or if the customer loses the phone number, they’ll have to dig through earlier correspondence or notes to get back to you. Reduce the number of barriers by always including your contact information. In fact, include it in your sales voicemail script so there’s no way you’ll forget to say it. 

8. Too many goals

Are you calling to share information? Or maybe you’re calling to get information? Is this a follow-up call? Are you calling to gauge interest? Decide on the main goal for your call and voice message. Having too many goals can muddy up the messaging and make it confusing for a client to understand why you’re calling.

9. Not mentioning a common contact or referral source

If you wind up making a cold call and it goes to voicemail, make sure to announce how you got the caller’s information. Do you have a common contact or friend? Did you get their information from a common professional network? Sharing this information is crucial in a cold call sales voicemail script since it’s a foot in the door for future conversations. Your lead will be more likely to return your call if there’s already a connection between you two.

Spend more time perfecting your sales voicemail script and less time cold-calling. Team up with the insurance and technology experts at HBW Leads and receive exclusive, double-verified leads to help your business grow.