Having your call go to voicemail with a prospective customer can be a stumbling block or a springboard all depending on the voicemail you leave. Use this quick guide to make sure you get the call back and the job!
Leaving a clear, professional voicemail is the first (and in some cases, only) step you’ll need to turn a homeowner who didn’t answer the phone into your new best customer and by using this simple guide you’ll be leaving the perfect voicemail with each and every homeowner you’re connected with.
Professionalism in Everything
The need for courtesy and professionalism when dealing with customers has always been and will always be important. All too often contractors and salesmen leave voicemails and emails which are overly informal, expect too much from the person they’re contacting, or sound downright rude over the phone.
While it’s true that sometimes pros make this mistake while trying to leave a quick message. But other times it’s simply a result of contractors not realizing how important this first interaction is to converting a prospective customer into a customer, particularly now that more and more people are ignoring voicemails altogether.
Be sure to use a clear voice, show a clear purpose, and have an appreciation that their time is just as valuable as your own. Keep your voicemails for customers under 30 seconds whenever possible. While that may sound too quick to say anything at all, with the right talking points in mind you’ll be able to say everything you need to get to get the call back that will turn into your next job.
The Right Talking Points
The perfect voicemail for your customers includes all the details of who you are and why they want to hear from you with nothing extra or off-point. Consider this example from one of our successful contractors:
Hi, [Customer’s First Name]. I understand you’re looking to get [Service] taken care of, my name’s [Name] with [Company]. I’d love to speak with you more about your project and set up a time to give you an estimate so please call me back at [Phone Number] to talk further. Again, this is [Name] from [Company] calling about your request for [Service]. I can be reached at [Phone Number] to schedule an estimate. I look forward to hearing from you, [Customer’s First Name]!
This message does a number of things perfectly. It quickly provides the homeowner with information about who you are, what you do, who you work for, where you can be reached, and why you’re calling. But best of all, it does it in a way which stands out from all the other messages they receive throughout the day. This helps to distinguish your call from all the others and helps to get your message in line with the customer’s priorities.
What’s more, homeowners will always be more receptive to voicemails which address them by their first name, it sounds friendlier and more personal. This message not only begins with the homeowner’s name but ends with it as well to serve as a psychological trigger that attention is needed.
The Follow Through
We’ve said it before, we’ll say it again: following through with leads is one of the most important parts of turning a referral into a job and a job into a lifelong customer. So while it’s always wise to leave your number with homeowners to encourage them to call you back you should be sure to call them back within a day of your initial message to reintroduce yourself and offer your services again. Don’t state that you’ll be doing this in your message, however, as it tends to make homeowners less likely to call and less likely to remember your message.
By calling back shortly after you leave your first message you’re letting the homeowner know both that you’re seriously interested in earning their business and that you’re consistent; two qualities which homeowners are looking for in all their home remodeling needs.
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