With email communications achieving an all time high these days, many business owners neglect to use a very effective and proven sales method. Picking up the phone and calling somebody! Reaching out to potential customers, prospects and partners by phone can be the most successful and cost effective way to connect. But ending up in voice mail is often a reality and can sometimes discourage business owners when they don’t get a returned call. Busy executives will listen for a few seconds and then delete so you want to make sure your voice mails stand out.

So here are 3 voice mail mistakes that you do not want to make so you DO get a returned phone call.

1. Being VagueLeaving a vague message will almost guarantee that you will not get a return phone call. People’s time is one of their biggest assets and if you are leaving a message for somebody who doesn’t know you and you don’t give them enough information for them to decide to call you back, you are risking a very valuable opportunity. By giving an indication of what you are calling about, you will increase your odds of actually getting a return phone call.
2. Providing Too Much InformationAnother mistake often made is providing too much information on the voice mail. You know, the entire history of the company, the sales pitch and the “pending doom close” where “they must call you back immediately or they will miss out”. The objective of leaving a message is to get a call back, not to close a deal so refrain from leaving long winded messages. Be clear and to the point of why you are calling and entice them to call you back to discuss opportunities and be quick.
3. Using the “Bait & Switch”Do not mislead your audience. Let the recipient know why you want to talk to them. Don’t leave an impression that you want to discuss one thing, only to switch gears when they do call you back. Relationships are built on trust, so don’t try to trick somebody to call you back.

   The best way to get a call back is to clearly state who you are, why you are calling and why they would want to call you back. Always leave your telephone number and repeat your name and telephone number at the end of the call.

Always be prepared to deal with voice mail and demonstrate that you’ve put some thought into the discussion you want to have and that you researched your call. In your intentions, state something you have learned about them, pronounce their name correctly and speak clearly and remember to leave your name and your number. Using information you obtained about the company and weaving that into the reason you are calling will make you stand out from 90% of the other callers and position you for a returned phone call.