How many times do you cold call a prospective customer, only to be connected to their voicemail? Do you leave a message? Many people will not leave messages because they never receive a call back. That's because they usually do one of two things: 1) they simply leave their name, company name and phone number, or 2) they leave a more detailed message that sounds like a sales pitch. In both cases, they're never going to receive a call back. That's because there's no WIIFM (what's in it for me?) for the recipient of the call.

With a little planning, you can not only use voicemail to get a return phone call, but you can use it to leave a memorable impression that will eventually lead to a meeting with the prospective client.

So what's the trick for getting them to call back? A good rule of thumb for leaving voicemail messages that get return calls is to 1) start with your 30-second elevator speech (or the first part of it), and 2) make a compelling statement that gets them thinking! Use words that describe how they feel: frustrated, disappointed, irritated, annoyed, concerned, overwhelmed, unhappy, skeptical. Here is an example:

Hi, this is John Smith with All-American Cleaning Company. We work with companies who are frustrated with their current cleaning service, or disappointed in the value they're receiving for the money they're spending. If this sounds familiar, please give me a call because I may have some solutions for you. My number is 555-123-1234. I look forward to talking with you.

Even if this doesn't compel the prospect to return your call, don't give up. Remember, it takes several "touches" before people make a purchase, so continue to follow up with them. Does that mean leaving six more voicemail messages? No, you might get blacklisted if you repeatedly do that. But after a week, try another voicemail follow up that is similar to the first message you left, but with a little more urgency:

Hi, this is John Smith with All-American Cleaning Company again. If you are frustrated with your current cleaning company or find you're spending too much time managing tenant complaints, I can be a valuable resource for you. Please give me a call at 555-123-1234.

Challenge yourself to create a list of problems that your customers want solved. Then use this list to create variations of the voicemails listed above. Track which voicemails get the best response and start using these as your first and second voicemail messages. The goal here is to get the prospect to pick up the phone and ask, "How can you do that?"

Another way to continue the contact with this prospect is to make a follow up call after mailing a sales letter, flyer or brochure. In this case, leave a message something like this:

Hi, this is John Smith with All-American Cleaning Company. I'm calling about the information I sent about the benefits of using green cleaning methods for the health and safety of your tenants and employees. I just need about 10 minutes of your time. Are you available next Tuesday at 9 a.m. or next Wednesday at 11 a.m.? Please give me a call at 555-123-1234. I look forward to meeting with you.

By now your prospect has had four "touches" from you - the first two voice mails, the mailing, and the follow-up to the mailing. What if you had given up after the first call? The prospect would have forgotten about you a long time ago. But now they've heard from you four times, so with a little more persistence you should be able to connect with the prospect. They'll remember who you are and you'll have a much better chance of getting that meeting in person.