Leave a Voicemail That Gets Responses [12 Free Sample Voicemail Scripts]

Do people still listen to voicemails? 

Do they have the time?

Should I even leave voicemails? 

There may be many questions thwarting you from investing your time in crafting strategic voicemails. 

We get you. Voicemails as an outreach channel might seem a tad outdated in a world that’s dominated by inbound sales channels that attract prospects like moths to a flame. 

But the world is still highly receptive to voicemails. If your pitch is strong enough to yank the listener away from their day to respond to your hard-to-say-no-to proposition, then, the voicemail has served its purpose. 

A bad voicemail, on the other hand, can kill your only chance at scoring business, which is why voicemails should not be an afterthought. You should give it as much time as you would cold calling. 

In this blog, we’ve outlined essentials a voicemail should definitely include, and 10 templates you can be inspired by or use as your own to get callbacks. Callbacks. Has a lovely ring to it, yes?

What is a voicemail?

A voicemail is not very different from your regular phone call. There are only two main differences – A voicemail is a one-sided interaction and has a much shorter time frame. 

Your voicemail can run only for 30 seconds before you lose the prospect’s attention. So it is important that you communicate your message in an engaging, clear, and concise manner in that time frame. 

Should you leave a voicemail?

Yes, but only if you have perfected the art of delivering an effective voicemail. A good voicemail will help you – 

• Deliver a personalized message.
• Get your foot in the door. 
• Stay at the top of your prospects’ minds by capturing their attention. 

Various studies show that a good voicemail has countless benefits. Here are some of them:  

• Most people do not answer calls from unknown numbers; however, almost 70% check the voicemail left from these numbers, according to Pew Research Center.
• A study claims that a well-scripted and thoroughly practiced voicemail can increase response rates by more than 25%. 
• Another study by InsideSales has come up with very similar numbers. It says a well-planned and scripted voicemail can increase response rates by up to 22%

So, it makes sense to invest some time to craft effective voicemails. Another concerning data point tells us that sales reps spend 15% of their workday leaving voicemails, a study done by Ringlead showed. But you don’t really have to record them every time you have to drop it. Many sales engagement softwares or cold calling tools have voicemail features that will help you drop pre-recorded voicemails in a single click. 

What should your voicemail say?

When your time frame is as small as 30 seconds, sticking to the following components is critical. 

Your introduction –

Your name. The name of your company. Without question these establish credibility. Additionally, you can share a brief note about your company. Oh, and don’t forget to enunciate. If you’ve nailed your pitch but you sounded like your mouth had marbles when you spoke, well, they’d have never really heard your pitch in the first place. 

Here’s what you could say. 

“Hi, I’m {name}, calling from {company}, a {what the company does and who does it cater to.}”

“Hi, I’m {Tom}, calling from {Panacotta}, a {real estate firm that offers co-working spaces to start-ups with 2-10 employees.}”

Your 15-second sales voicemail pitch –

Explicitly state your reason for trying to reach the prospect. Ensure that you state your reason in a polite and amicable manner. Pay attention to your tone of voice. By clearly doing so you will help the prospect better understand why they should return your voicemail. We came up with our own short yet gatorade-fuelled voicemail punch, sorry, pitch.

1. Hook with a pain point/customer success story
2. Offer a pain reliever
3. What do you bring to the table

“Startups of your size usually have two options in California to get office space. Either pay exorbitant rent to get an apartment or rent an excuse for a room in a corporate building. Wouldn’t those funds be of better use if you invested it back in your growing business?

We provide an 800 square foot office space with sound-proofed walls, and mini cubicles at lower-than-market rates.” 

Where to reach you –

Clearly state your phone number along with any other contact information they’ll need to get in touch with you. You can also try to repeat the same information twice so that they retain the information easier. 

For example, you can say something like, “Call me back at 5-3-2-1-0-6-3-9. Again that is 5-3-2-1-0-6-3-9.” 

When to reach you –

Along with your contact information, let your prospect know when they can call you back. It is best to provide them with a few time slots to make it easier for them to accommodate you in their schedule.

For example, say, “You can reach me anytime between 9-11 A.M., and 3-5 P.M.Tuesday through Thursday this week.”

Never forget to leave a Call To Action –

By giving a Call to Action at the end of the voicemail, you can set the expectation right in the mind of the prospect. By clearly highlighting the next steps whether it’s a callback or a demo appointment, you avoid unnecessary or unexpected actions from the prospects.

For example, say, “Are you interested in knowing more about how we can help?”

To get you ramped up quickly, here are multiple voicemail templates you can use. 

Voicemail scripts for different scenarios 

Use them as it is or tweak them to your taste, but ensure you deliver it in a convincing tone.

Scenario 1: Professional voicemail script

Sometimes, being professional does the job. You could be witty, confident, clever, or anything you want; it varies from prospect to prospect. But if you’re looking to leave a straightforward and professional voicemail because, maybe, you’re trying to reach a c-level executive and you don’t really want to push your luck today, we’ve got you covered.

Professional voicemail Script

Example:

Hi Max, 

This is Connor, calling from Tangor Writes. 

We’ve been helping marketing agencies like TurboCo and Beast – you know the ones located in the Bay Area solve a critical content roadblock. It was stopping them from scaling their content at the pace they wanted to do it.  Would you be interested in learning how Tangor Writes helped them speed up their content delivery process using a publishing automation tool?

Could you give me a call back at 999999?

Again, that’s 999999, Connor from Tangor Writes. 

Scenario 2: When you use a trigger event (LinkedIn search/industry trend/market news)

If you want to let the prospect know that you’ve done your research about them, use their activity on LinkedIn as a talking point to open a conversation. People engage on LinkedIn through in mails, conducting polls or commenting on posts. If they’ve shared an update on LinkedIn about their work you could use that as your opening. 

Using a trigger event for your voicemail gives you a common topic to talk about. It could be a news article or an industry trend that the prospect is passionate about. 

Sample Voicemail Script

Example: 

Hi Max, this is Rick from Tangor Writes. I noticed on LinkedIn that you’ve shared a post by psychologist Robert Tucker – he wrote an incredible story on burnout in Tech. 

Max, the managers who trained with us have learned to create, plan and strategize by putting people and their mental health first. 

I thought I’d reach out because that may be the missing piece in your people management department. 

I can send you more details if that helps, call me back at [ your number].

Again, that’s [your number].

Scenario 3: When you get a referral from a client or mutual connection

Okay. Be honest. Look back at your career, when you were doing business, or hiring talent, or even buying something new, what’s the first step you’ll take? For most of us – we ask around. We ask if they know anyone interested in our proposition, if they know a product that solves our problem, we ask for referrals. And it is the most trusted way to get sales. So, when you’re trying to get to a prospect, include a reference in your voicemail. Hunt for one on social media sites, and online communities like LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook, and see if you know anyone you can use as a referral.  

Have a conversation about your prospect and try to learn as much about them, especially their pain points and how your business can solve them. And when you send a voicemail to the prospect, don’t forget to talk about the common connection.

Sample voicemail script

Example: 

Hi Max, it’s Josh from SpaceBlue. 

I recently had a chat with Connor, from TierX.

We are seeing excellent results with TierX’s latest content marketing strategies and your name actually came up when we were discussing other businesses that are struggling to scale their content marketing efforts. 

I’d love to show you what we’ve done so far for TierX, considering you’re both growing exponentially at the same time, and how we can make it happen for you too. 

If you think it’ll be helpful, give me a call back at 999-999-999. 

Again, this is Josh from SpaceBlue, and my number is 999-999-999.

Scenario 4: When you get a referral from someone within the prospect’s company 

Oftentimes when you’re cold-emailing or cold calling someone, you might not reach the decision-maker on your first try. In that case, you can chat up with them and try to get an internal referral. Sometimes you don’t have to work that hard and you already get access to an internal referral.  Here’s a voicemail script that can help you in such situations. 

Sample voicemail script

Example

Hey Max, this is Linda from Purple CRM.

I had the pleasure of chatting with one of your SDRs the other day, Rick. 

He mentioned that your team is slowing in terms of task execution because your CRM doesn’t sync prospect data from LinkedIn. 

That’s when we chatted about Purple CRM.

What we’ve seen from teams using Purple CRM is that SDRs were able to crush their quotas solely because they were consistently executing tasks throughout the week with zero friction. Because it facilitates bidirectional sync between LinkedIn as well.

If this sounds worth discussing, feel free to call me back at 999-999-999. 

Again that’s 999-999-999.

Scenario 5: When you follow up after shooting a cold email

It’s always good to follow up a cold email with a voicemail as it conveys that you are serious about building the relationship. You can also give all the necessary information that you missed in the cold email. Lastly, it opens up more than one channel for the prospect to respond to you.

5.1 Sample voicemail script for prospects who didn’t engage with your email

Example:

Hey Mark, this is Melanie from Stardust.

I had dropped you an email on how you can protect BlueWhale from the mass attrition problem that companies like yours are currently fighting by tuning into our leadership training podcasts. 

I thought of checking up with you once again to see if you’d be interested in learning more.

Please call me back on 999-999-999, if you think we could be of help to you. 

Have a great day!

5.2 Sample voicemail script for prospects who engaged with your email

Example: 

Hey Susan,

This is Alan, calling from Revolve. 

I am following up on your request for more info on Revolve’s email features. 

When you have a minute, give me a call back at 999-999-999, because – we have both an email plugin, and a software that has a separate email inbox. If you let me know what exactly you need help with, I can save you a ton of time.  

Feel free to follow up with any questions at 999-999-999. 

I’m also dropping you an email with my contact information and an overview of both the email features. 

Have a great day, Susan. 

Thanks, bye.

Scenario 6: Using their G2 review on a product (competitor)

Paying attention to even the tiniest of details in the world of sales can have a great impact on your conversion. Do a quick research on G2 and find out who has had a bad experience with your competitors. Send them a voicemail about how your product is better than the competitor without talking negatively about them. Here’s a template you can use –

Sample voicemail script

Example:

Hey Kyle,

This is Tammy from Horology Tech, we provide enterprise-level solutions for contract management. 

I recently saw your review about using Signage on G2. 

They do have a great product for a mid-scale company. But TUPPER being a global corporation, how are you standardising and managing your contracts for consultants on the other side of the globe, considering you may have different teams working on different projects at the same time? 

This is where Horology Tech can help.

If you’re interested to learn more about how we can help, call me at 999-999-999.

Reach me anytime between 9 AM to 4 PM on Monday to Friday.

Talk soon. 

Scenario 7: Leveraging user’s browser behavior 

These voicemail scripts can be used for those prospects who have indicated an interest in your product or service by downloading content from your website or engaging with your website or LinkedIn profile in any way that shows their interest in products like yours.

Sample voicemail script

Example: 

Hey Joseph, 

This is Kaitlyn from MaxPower. 

I noticed that you downloaded one of our e-books on email subject lines from our weekly newsletter. 

If you’re trying to get your emails to stand out, I’d love to help you out with email templates, and tips from leaders who receive cold emails. 

If you’re interested, give me a call back at 999-999-999, or you can reply to my email. 

I’ve also sent some more information to the email address you provided when you downloaded the ebook. 

Talk soon, 

Bye.

Scenario 8:  Personalized voicemail

No one wants to feel like a cog in the machine. Give a shout out. Use their name, company, problems, industry trends or even something the prospect shared on LinkedIn. 

Sample voicemail script

Example: 

Hey John, 

It’s Mary from Konnect.ti 

I came across a mini-demo of how Kali’s AI function helps writers with real-time sentence construction suggestions. 

Congratulations! Dabbling in AI, especially in such a dynamic and right-brain activity like writing, is a feat.  

This gave me an idea actually about how you could do that for emails through a plug in. 

If you have a minute some time this week, give me a call back at 999-999-999. 

Talk soon. 

Scenario 9: When you want to quantify your value proposition 

Why pick a strategy everyone exercises? Selling your value proposition in numbers is a great way to give them a reason to get back to you – We’ll explain why. 

Show them the measure of value they can derive from using your product or service rather than blindly promising or merely explaining the value you can provide. It tells the prospect that you have conviction in whatever you’re selling. 

Sample voicemail script

Example: 

Hi Leonard, 

I’m Sheela, from Pluck International. 

The reason I’m calling is to let you know that one of your main competitors Rocket has been using Pluck for the past 8 months, and have seen a 25% uptick in their number of deals closed this quarter. 

They’ve left great reviews of how we helped them get there, on G2 and Capterra, which you can check when you get time. 

But I’d like to share that story with you. Would it help if I give you a personalized recommendation on how you can ramp up your sales cycle and win more deals?

Call me back at [your number] anytime this week between 9 AM to 6 PM.

Talk soon.

Scenario 10: Voicemail for gatekeepers

Ah. Gatekeepers. 

The only way to deal with them? Befriend them. 

There are times when you reach the gatekeepers while trying to reach the prospects. There are also possibilities that these gatekeepers won’t let you talk with the decision-maker. In such situations, it’s ideal to leave a short message for them that will intrigue them and get them to inform the decision-maker about the call.

Sample voicemail script

Example: 

Hey Maria, 

It’s Lamar, from Tottal, we’re a project management software. 

I was hoping to speak with Grace to discuss how she’s equipped to face the onslaught of new projects that her team will have to deal with post this merger. 

You can reach me at 999-999-999, or you can ask Tom to give me a ring any time Monday through Friday this week. 

Scenario 11: Last-ditch voicemail attempt 

If this is your grasping-at-straws attempt at reaching out to a prospect, godspeed. Here’s a voicemail script that can help you catch the attention of someone you might have done rounds of discussions with. 

For the last attempt to connect with the person, create a “now or never” situation. 

Sample voicemail script

Example: 

Hey Harry, this is Ron from Lolo Co.

Harry, over the past couple of months, we had drilled down on how you wanted to scale your cold calling process, and how Lolo Co could not only help you scale it, but also standardise the scaling across different teams.

But I haven’t been able to reach you since the past couple of weeks. I’m going out on a limb and assuming that scaling the cold calling process isn’t a priority for you at the moment, so you won’t be hearing from me anymore. 

If it becomes important for you in the future, I’d be more than happy to chat. You can drop me an email Ron@lolo.com when the day comes or call me at 999 999 999.

6 reasons why your voicemails are not getting callbacks 

If you’re experiencing shockingly low response rates for your voicemails, it could be because you’re erring on these fronts. 

You’re only selling the product

The primary goal of a voicemail is to get a callback and is not to actually sell the solution. Therefore the focus must be to capture their attention. By focusing on a sale or by pitching your product or service over voicemail, you will sound apathetic to the actual pain points of the customer. This will seem like you’re pressurizing them and they will end up not responding to your voicemail. We outlined how you can write winning sales pitches here.

You sound robotic

Human beings are highly perceptive to the tone of voice just as they are to the actual words in a conversation. A whopping 38 percent of what we say is actually conveyed through tone of voice. That is a rule for how we communicate. The 7-38-55 Rule, developed by psychology professor Albert Mehrabian at the University of California. So when we’re talking, only 7 percent of what we mean is put into spoken words, and 55 percent through body language. It’s only human nature when prospects don’t return voicemails that lack a personality. This is your time to be a Don Draper or a Steve Jobs, sound inspirational, or motivational, or just a human with emotions. 

You’re not leaving a CTA

By not leaving a CTA at the end of your voicemail you will not make it clear to the prospect how they should respond to you. If you simply hang up after your pitch, you’ll end up confusing the listener as to why you left the voicemail. In today’s world when help comes only to those who ask, you need to ask for next steps in your voicemail. 

You sound muffled

Always ensure that your message is conveyed in a clear and calm manner. Don’t rush through key information like your name, company’s name, and phone number. Remind yourself of your childhood quote–slow and steady wins the race. Enunciate all your words to be safe.  

You speak too fast 

By speaking too fast you will make it very hard for your prospects to understand your message and value proposition. Additionally, it may also lead to a lack of engaging tones which will result in them not listening to your voicemail completely. Therefore it is important to speak at a good pace.

You’re not A/B testing your voicemail scripts

By not A/B testing your voicemail scripts you will not know which version of your script works better than the others. You will end up using outdated and poor-quality voicemail scripts. This can result in low rates of callbacks. On the other hand, by performing rigorous A/B testing, you will learn which version of your voicemail script results in a higher response rate, thus using it for all prospects.

Conclusion

Voicemails serve as a critical touchpoint in any sales process. It helps to make your subsequent communications much easier while engaging your prospects in a non-intrusive manner.

Bonus tip:

Follow these top salespeople for insight on cold calling

1. Steli Efti, (CEO of Close, a cold calling CRM software)
2. James Muir, (author, LinkedIn) 
3. Kevin Dorsey, (Inside Sales Excellence podcast, LinkedIn Top Voice)
4. Lisa Mcleod, (author)
5. Art Sobczak, (author)
6. Brian, (The Brutal Truth Sales Podcast)
7. Jill Konrath, (author of 6 sales books)
8. Jason McElhone, (CEO of RemoteSales)
9. Morgan J Ingram, (LinkedIn Top Voice, Podcast & YouTube: The SDR Chronicles)

Start implementing our tips in your sales calls and let us know in the comments how it goes.