[00:00:00] You know, some say you should never leave a voicemail because no one ever listens to them, that they're a waste of time. And others say voicemail is a great tool to position [00:00:10] yourself as the ultimate problem solver. So let's look at the pros and the cons, and I'll share my opinion at the end of this video.
Welcome to the Agency Growth [00:00:20] Machine Podcast, where it's all about transforming potential into profit. And now your host, Randy Schwantz.
And [00:00:30] today we're diving into a question that comes up a lot in sales. Should you leave a voicemail when prospecting? And some say it's a waste of time that no one listens [00:00:40] to them. So let's create some context before we get too deep into this. Imagine you're a relatively new producer. You built a database of 200 [00:00:50] prospects that meet three criteria.
It's a niche you want to pursue and become known in as the expert insurance problem solver. You have carriers [00:01:00] lined up that want to write this kind of business, and the estimated revenue in the account is something you'd like to have in your book for the next 10 years. [00:01:10] So here's your primary problem.
There are 200 buyers, 200 real people that have real problems, and yet you are [00:01:20] 100% unknown. You're the biggest secret on the planet to these 200 people. They have no clue what you stand for or your philosophy about [00:01:30] insurance. They don't even know you exist. And your primary goal is to start to work with this list and set appointments.
But your secondary [00:01:40] goal is to go from the unknown to the known in your niche. And here's why. Buyers of insurance have problems. You never know when they're gonna [00:01:50] pop up. And when they have a problem, their go-to person is the incumbent agent. Plus, they have problems that they're not even aware that they have.
Like what? Well, [00:02:00] business interruption limits are wrong. The value of buildings are wrong. They've been stuck with the same carrier for years and they're probably overpaying. They're unsure if they have the right coverage. Their [00:02:10] return to work program is outdated. And there are 42 other things on our list that most of your prospects have no idea just how bad it [00:02:20] is.
So over the next 30, 60 or 90 days, you want all 200 prospects to become aware of their potential problems and start to [00:02:30] know who you are and how you help them solve those problems with insurance. This is your chance to leave bite-sized messages in the form of [00:02:40] voicemails, and like all good commercials on TV, you start with the problem, not the solution.
I'd argue that a voicemail is a marketing tool, [00:02:50] a way to position yourself as a problem solver. Using both voicemail and corresponding email, you can stack your pain-oriented bite-sized messages. [00:03:00] And with that, you can rapidly go from the unknown to the known, from a secret to a problem-solving resource.
So let's look at the pros and the cons of each strategy, [00:03:10] and of course, I'll share my opinion at the end. The case against leaving voicemails. So first, let's look at the argument that says never leave a [00:03:20] voicemail. Some believe that voicemails are a waste of time, and here's why. One of the biggest reasons people avoid leaving voicemails if they believe no one listens to them anymore.[00:03:30]
See, we live in a world of text messages, emails, and instant communication. Many feel that voicemails get ignored or deleted [00:03:40] without even a second though. But if you're being honest, you could say that about everything. Another argument is that leaving voicemails takes time, and that could be better [00:03:50] spent reaching out to more prospects using other channels.
So if you're leaving a lot of voicemails and not getting callbacks, the ROI may seem low, [00:04:00] but is it really? If you're playing the long game with a list of 200 or so prospects, the long game is the positioning game. [00:04:10] And as an insurance agent, you know the buyer is going to re-buy every 12 months. And along the way, there's a good chance they'll have a problem that [00:04:20] they don't like the answer they got from their current broker.
So you gotta be there when they're ready to buy, not just when you're ready to sell. Now, [00:04:30] voicemails don't provide the immediate feedback, the other forms of communication like emails or texts might. When you don't know if the message has been received, it can feel like you're talking [00:04:40] into a dark hole of void.
But on the other hand, if you don't leave a compelling voicemail along with a corresponding email, no one will ever know who [00:04:50] you are. And obviously, the response is what you desire, but the other side of that coin is you are marketing yourself. You're leaving your little [00:05:00] commercials over and over and over.
You're positioning yourself as someone who can solve all these little problems associated with insurance, but do your own research. [00:05:10] Many of the people that say voicemail doesn't work are the people leaving voicemails that are self-oriented, self-promoting, and they're promoting a product or a service.[00:05:20]
Let me give you an example. This is Bob from HMB Insurance. I'm calling because I'd love to talk to you about your risk management program and see if we could help you improve it. You can reach [00:05:30] me at 214 blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I'm also, I'll also follow up with an email tomorrow. Have a great day. Next.
Hey there. It's [00:05:40] Bob with HMB Insurance. I was wondering, how are you currently tackling your risk management problems over at Bla - Johnny's Construction? I've been looking into how we might help with that and though you'd be [00:05:50] interested in hearing how we've helped companies just like yours. Hey, call me back to discuss how we can help.
Again, kind of self-promotional. Next. Hey there. It's [00:06:00] Bob Rosenbach with HMB Insurance. We work with contractors to improve their coverage and save them money. Please call me back at [00:06:10] 234-456-4545. So just think about those voicemails. Most of them are about the person, the seller, rather than the buyer.
They're about what the seller could offer rather than what the buyer's [00:06:20] paying in that resolution. That's a problem. So let's keep going there. Here's the case for using voicemails and emails as a marketing tool. See, on the other [00:06:30] side of the debate, many would argue that voicemails are still a powerful marketing tool.
You just have to use them correctly. And let's explore why leaving a voicemail [00:06:40] can be beneficial. A voicemail is another touchpoint in your overall outreach strategy. Even if the prospect doesn't call you back, they've heard your name and the [00:06:50] problem you solve. When you use what we call the five-layer voicemail and email approach, you're stacking problem on top of problem associated with your [00:07:00] ability to then solve it.
See, some experts say you should use voicemails to stack pain oriented messages, boop, boop, boop, boop, boop. This [00:07:10] means focusing on the prospect pain points and then offering a hint of the solution in each message. Over time, this builds curiosity and [00:07:20] drives them to respond. So how do you maximize voicemail effectiveness?
So here's the best approach. If you decide to leave voicemails, here are a few tips to maximize your effectiveness. Number one, [00:07:30] keep it very short and compelling. No one wants to listen to a long voicemail. Keep your message under 15 seconds closer to 10 seconds [00:07:40] and make sure it's clear, concise, and focus on the prospect's pain.
I'm just gonna give you one example. This came from my own experience as a [00:07:50] sales trainer teaching people how to bust the incumbent relationship. The biggest pain that most of my clients had was getting rolled by the incumbent agent. So [00:08:00] when I call up, if I couldn't get the buyer on the phone, I would just say, "I help insurance agents bust the incumbent relationship."
Hey, if that's a concern, [00:08:10] please call me at 214-444-6262. This is Randy Schwan's. So right to the point, focus on them, [00:08:20] and that's what I recommend you do. So in our workshops, we do an exercise where we have producers list out the top th - 10 things that buyers hate [00:08:30] about insurance. And for each of those things, we help them identify how they would be a solution to it.
And then we use that to write out [00:08:40] voicemails and emails. It's one of the most powerful exercises that we get a chance to do with them. So your voicemail should create curiosity. [00:08:50] Instead of trying to explain everything, give the prospect just enough information to make them wonder, how do they do that?
And why isn't my agent [00:09:00] bringing this up? So don't rely on voicemails alone. Combine your voicemail with the corresponding email. Same subject, [00:09:10] same basic content. Your email needs a strong headline so it gets opened, and you can also fortify the strategy with the same message on LinkedIn if you [00:09:20] want. And the critical point here is this.
Each voicemail and email combo stacks another problem on top of another problem and it positions you as the [00:09:30] problem solver. So here's my take. You go into the trouble to build a list of prospects. You've researched them enough to believe that you'd like to have them as a client one day. You know, you set up [00:09:40] your call block on your Outlook calendar, and so you're in there working the telephone.
You made the dial, you got the voicemail. 15 more seconds [00:09:50] is all you're adding to your day to leave them a powerful message about one of the problems you solve. You then click a button and out goes an email with the same [00:10:00] issue. You then click next and go do it again. And voicemails are a valuable tool when used strategically.
I mean, don't think of them as standalone efforts, think of [00:10:10] them as a one piece of a larger puzzle. Consider this. Two voicemails, two emails in a week, that's four touch points. That's [00:10:20] 16 in a month. How long would it take for you to become known as the guy? How long would it take for you to go from being the unknown to the known?[00:10:30]
And look, the incumbent agents likely to drop the ball at some point. You wanna be positioned as the go-to person when they do. Don't remain a secret, [00:10:40] get your problem solving messages out there. Remember, keep your message short, probably eight to 10 seconds, make them compelling, focus on the prospect's pain points, [00:10:50] and be consistent.
You'll soon be known as the problem solver and people either take your call or email you for help. Look, I built a system called [00:11:00] Bignition to help producers set more appointments with targeted prospects. We call it the triple threat solution because it includes training, [00:11:10] CRM, and sales management, and it's all integrated into one system.
And you can find out more at bignition.io. So what's your opinion? [00:11:20] Do you leave voicemails or do you skip them entirely? Let me know in the comments below, and if you found this video helpful, don't forget to hit the like button [00:11:30] and the subscribe button for more content.
