Following Up on Voicemails: Strategies for Success

As mid January continues with 2025 in its prime,
Sales pros charge forward, ready to climb.

Ping for progress, honk for the lead,
No time to waste—let’s go with speed!

Bumpity-bump, with energy to thrive,
Building connections, the opportunity is alive.

Honk, ping, bump—we’re off to a bright start,
With That Follow Up Fix, you're doing your part!

In these early days, keep your goals in sight,
Stay sharp, stay driven, and shine extra bright.

Here’s to the fresh start, full of growth and grace—
For follow-up magic, we keep up the pace! 🎆🎯✨

In his book "Fanatical Prospecting" (2015), Jeb Blount discusses the strategic purpose of sales voicemails as part of an effective prospecting system.

According to write up on spotio, “50% of buyers like speaking over phone, compared to 70% of reps.

This percentage increases the higher up the ladder (VP or C-suite) you go.” 

🎯 The Problem:

Gong says, “Voicemails reduce your future connect rate by 28%” making the debate stronger than ever.

😫 The Reality:

The quality structure and flow of the voicemail is not being considered with an estimated 74% of companies not leaving voicemails at all from further reading on the same spotio blog.

💡 The Solution:

Interestingly, yesware suggested effective voicemails really increase a sales rep’s chances of getting a call back from the prospect.

In fact, for each voicemail a sales rep leaves, their call back chances go up by 11%.

So what gives?

Gong says this.

Yesware says that.

Here's What You May Not Know About Effective Voicemails... 

Successful voicemails share common characteristics:

They're brief: 

Attention spans are shorter than ever.

The better voicemail respects time and gets straight to the point—no rambling, no fluff. 

They’re value-focused:

People don’t return calls out of courtesy; they return them because there’s something in it for them.

WIIFM - “what’s in it for me.”

A strong value proposition is essential.

Include clear next steps:

Ambiguity kills momentum.

Your voicemail should end with a direct and simple action item.

Also to be noted, effective voicemails include these elements:

Specific Business Context: 

Personalization matters.

Reference their company, industry, or a relevant challenge to show you’ve done your homework.

Professional yet conversational tone: 

Speak like a human, not a script.

An easy, natural tone builds trust.

Appropriate Length: 

As mentioned, keep it short but impactful.

Unfortunately, most salespeople fail at voicemail execution.

Here's why: 

The #1 Reason:

Lack of clear value propositions that motivate callbacks.

What I call "callback triggers."

Other key obstacles:

• Length: Messages often exceed optimal duration

• Value Communication: Unclear business benefits

• Timing: Suboptimal message delivery

• Follow-Up: Insufficient multi-channel integration 

But here's your breakthrough moment:

By implementing proven principles for voicemail, you can significantly improve your callback rates.

Below, we’re about to cover a few different voicemail flows to maximize your voicemail effectiveness.

Some may seem narrowly similar, yet each have a little different flair.

As always, go over them, try them, split test them.

Step 1: Deploy The "Opening 8-Second Hook" 🎯

Initial message structure can significantly impact callback rates.

The 8-Second Hook, look.

1. Professional Introduction (2 Seconds)

The goal here is clarity and recognition.

State your name and the prospect's name clearly and confidently.

A personalized introduction grabs attention and makes the message feel directed, not distant.

Example: "Hi [Prospect’s Name], this is [Your Name] from [Company Name]."

Simple.

Why it works:

It’s quick, professional, and creates instant connection while respecting their time.

2. Relevant Business Context (3 Seconds)

This is where you demonstrate you’ve prepared, the pre-work.

A pound of preparing beats a kilogram of objections.

Use a research-backed insight or reference a current event, challenge, or opportunity specific to their business or industry.

Example: "I noticed your company recently expanded into [specific market]…"

Why it works:

By highlighting something specific and relevant, you establish credibility and build rapport.

It’s small, but it’s big at the same time.

The listener recognizes that you’ve taken the time to understand their world.

Make your message stand out.

3. Clear Value Proposition with a Curiosity Gap (3 Seconds)

The curiosity gap is a proven psychological tactic that compels people to seek more information.

Rather than giving everything away, hint at the value they’ll gain by engaging with you.

Example: "…and I’d love to share an idea that’s helping others in your space increase [specific benefit, e.g., lead conversions by 20%]."

Why it works:

You’re opening a loop in their mind without overwhelming them.

This invites them to take the next step (to close the loop) whether that’s returning your call or exploring your offer further.