The full voicemail is becoming more common every year. There are a few reasons for this: our phones make it easy to check but not delete messages, we typically connect in some other way before checking voicemail, and most people under 35 years old don’t use voicemail (and hence, let theirs get filled). Regardless of the reasons, salespeople may feel stuck when they get the full voicemail! At least gatekeepers passed on messages that would go unreturned. Nowadays we can’t even do that!
I think the full voicemail box is an opportunity. Think about it. Once you leave a voicemail, it may seem a bit aggressive to attempt any other type of contact. Even though we teach our clients to attempt two forms of contact to give their prospects options, many salespeople feel uncomfortable following this practice. So, they leave a voicemail and painfully wait. Well, when a customer allows their voicemail to max out, then what else can you do?
Text them, call their office line, email them, instant message them on LinkedIn, stop by their office, go to their daughter’s wedding, etc. A full voicemail gives you permission to connect with your customer in a different way than phone. Go for it. Let them know “Sorry, but your voicemail is full.” Try it. I promise that your ratio of successful contact will be higher after receiving full voicemails than when leaving a typical message.
