A voicemail drop occurs when you call a potential client or customer and leave your voicemail, but they do not receive/listen to it until later.
There are three main reasons why people might have missed your call:
They did not hear their phone ring because they were doing something else while you called.
They cannot answer the phone right away so they are unable to pick up.
They miss that it is your number calling them so they do not bother checking voicemails sent by unknown numbers
What can I do? There are several things you can do in order to avoid getting caught in voicemail purgatory:
Do not leave long voicemails. You want to make sure that you are catching their attention as soon as possible.
Stagger your voicemails . If you are leaving multiple voicemails, make sure to space them out so that the potential client or customer does not feel overwhelmed.
Call at different times of the day. Different people are available at different times of the day, so it is important to try and call during their most available time.
Include a Call-to-Action. Make sure that you are telling the person what you want them to do once they have listened to your voicemail. Whether this be calling you back, visiting your website, or coming into your store, you need to give them a next step to continue engaging with you.
How can voicemails help my marketing? voicemails can help with marketing in a few ways:
As mentioned before, voicemails are a great way to increase call-to-action rates. If you have a strong voicemail, there is a higher chance that the person will take the time to listen to it and then follow through with your request.
They can also be used as a listening tool. By tracking how long people are spending on each of your voicemails, you can get an idea of what kind of content is most engaging for them. This information can then be used to create more of these types of voicemails, or even to adjust your marketing strategy as a whole.
Lastly, voicemails can be used to increase the average length of time that customers spend with your company. This can be done by adding voicemails into your call-sequencing strategy (the order in which you contact a customer).
How do voicemail drops affect sales? There is little research surrounding voicemail drops and how they impact sales, however there are some possible reasons why voicemail drops might lead to increased sales:
Voicemail drops add a personal touch to your marketing strategy. By leaving a voicemail, you are putting a personal spin on your marketing efforts, which can make the potential customer or client feel more valued.
Voicemails can be used to build relationships with potential customers or clients. By leaving voicemails and then following up with them, you are starting to build a relationship with the person. This might lead to future sales opportunities or referrals.
Voicemails can increase brand awareness. By including your branding in every voicemail that you leave, you are increasing the chances that the person will remember who you are and what you do. This could lead to future sales opportunities down the road.
Final Thoughts
Voicemail drops are seen by many as a negative thing, but they do not have to be. voicemails can be used as a helpful marketing tool that provides social proof and boosts sales.