The #1 mistake sellers make after dialing ☎️
Sellers are dialing leads like crazy but fumbling the one move that actually leaves a mark: the voicemail.
You already took the time to dial the number, so finish the damn play!
We recently ran an experiment filling out demo request forms for 15 startups to see how they handled follow-up.
Half the companies had ZERO follow-up—which is shocking, for sure.
But what shook me the most? One company called us NINE TIMES and never left a single voicemail. 😱
We had to call them back just to confirm who it was.
If you're calling prospects and not leaving voicemails, you're not prospecting. You're just burning through your call list hoping something sticks. That’s not strategy. That’s a wasted dial.
We’re afraid of “wasting our time” leaving voicemails for prospects who have no intention of calling us back. But that’s the wrong way to think about voicemails.
The truth: voicemails aren’t about callbacks
I can hear you huffing and puffing: “But Desiree, voicemails don’t convert!”
No shit, they don’t convert!
Let’s clear this up right now: you don’t leave voicemails to get callbacks.
You leave voicemails to build familiarity, plant curiosity, and create context for your next touchpoint.
Every voicemail is a branding moment. Your voice, your tone, your name—it all starts to build presence.
The second or third time your name shows up in their inbox or caller ID, they know you.
That’s impact!
Think about it: What kind of impact did the seller who called us back NINE TIMES without leaving a voicemail have on us? NONE.
You’re selling to your prospect, not asking them on a date. You don’t need them to reciprocate your interest!
They just need to remember you, so when they see your email, LinkedIn message, or next call, you’re not a stranger. You’re that seller who sounds confident, competent, and worth a minute.
What should you say?
Keep your voicemail message tight, conversational, and valuable. Don’t do a full pitch. Just spark curiosity or reference a problem you can help solve.
And yes, it would probably help to have a script to read from.
Something like:
“Hey Sarah, this is Desiree from Close—I’ve got a quick idea for helping your team at StartUp cut down time spent chasing leads. It’s something I’ve seen work really well with sales teams like yours. No rush, but if you’re curious, shoot me a text or call back at 555-123-4567. Again, it’s Desiree with Close. Talk soon.”
That’s it. 20 seconds. You're planting a seed.
Don’t try to think of something off the cuff. Remove all the “umm”s and “uhhh”s from your delivery. Any hesitation in your voice can break someone’s attention.
Don’t ramble. Don’t sound robotic. Don’t sound bored.
🎯 Your goal: sound confident, enthusiastic, and approachable. Let your tone communicate that you’re exceptional at helping businesses like theirs and you won’t waste their time.
Your message should make them open to hearing from you again—even if they don’t call you back.
How to mix voicemails into your follow-up formula
Voicemail sets up your next touchpoint and gives you context to reference in your written follow-up. Now it's a combo move, not a scattered spray.
Follow-up with a text or email like:
“Hey John, just left you a quick voicemail—check it out when you’ve got a sec. I’ve been talking to teams about how to fix that [X problem]. Not urgent, but if you’ve got 5-minutes, let’s chat to see if we would be a good fit for your team. Would love to get your thoughts.
The compounding effect of consistent, strategic voicemails is real—and it separates serious pros from random dialers. So next time you’re hovering over that “end call” button, ask yourself:
Am I leaving a mark, or am I wasting this call?
⚡️ Get Dialed-In
Leave voicemails on all your calls this week. You can start by stealing my script—or ask ChatGPT to write a few versions specifically for you.
📞 ProTip for Close users: Use the voicemail drop feature in Close to automatically leave a pre-recorded message when a prospect doesn’t pick up. Save yourself some time and cut out the guesswork.
