Listen to your Voicemail Greeting

We all know how hard it is to answer the phone every single time it rings. The reality is, sometimes you just miss a call. Have you listened to your voicemail greeting recently? Being a marketing partner, and currently an apartment shopper, I call apartment communities just about every day. I definitely get plenty of voicemail greetings, especially if I call close to the lunch hour, that wouldn't encourage me whatsoever to call back if I were a prospect!

I'm going to start working with my clients on their voicemail greetings - what do the seasoned experts out there think they should include and sound like? Are there any guidelines you would suggest? My industry mentor tells me that properties tend to take on the personality of their managers; how do we apply that belief to even the smallest things like voicemail?

You know, I'm not a big fan of having a voice mail message picking up for the property when the office staff is busy or not there. I think it's a good idea to consider using an answering service or perhaps a third party service that can answer questions, send info, or maybe set appointments. I can understand where a prospective rent may not be inclined to visit a community they call and do not get a live person on the phone. My company does use an answering service and the service is usually successful at getting the name, number, floor plan, and lead source when we are not able to answer.

For smaller properties that don't have the revenue to use a third party answering service an appropriate voicemail message is the key to peak someone's interest. I normally say just get to the point with voicemail... no one needs to hear your pitch line and they more than likely aren't listening anyways. I always recommend them to visit our website for layouts and pricing. If you have an attractive and maintained website all those questions they have can be answered there. Normally most callers are navigating the web while they are calling you or just got finished so they will jump right back on and check it out. When they leave a message it's a great icebreaker by asking them if they have visited your communities website and if they haven't yet then you can lead them to it while on the phone with you.

This is completely personal but I CANNOT stand when I call a place and there voicemail message is longer than 30 seconds... If it's too long I'm hanging up or if someone sounds overly cheerful or bored...

Hi Colin,
I have shopped many properties over the years. Some VM messages are good, some are less than good and some are just plain BAD!!

I agree with Chrissy, more than 30 seconds, I'm going to hang up!!

Maybe it's just me, but if the message sends me to the property web site, I get annoyed! I was just on the web site!!Now I'm ready to talk to a real live person!!

I have used call centers who answer after so many rings with good and bad results. I am not a fan of the Auto-Systems that answer and give you 20 other choices and when you make a choice, you hear another message!

We have about 10 seconds or less to capture a callers attention, sound different from the competition, and make yourself sound interesting enough for them to want to leave a message. The message should be clear, quick and concise.

Great points Gerry and Chrissy, I agree totally. Messages should be no more than 30 seconds and even getting close to that mark is too much. Make your point, don't be sales pitch-y and then let them leave the message.

For me when I hear an answering machine message I'm just waiting for the tone so I can start talking... I'm really not paying much attention to what they are saying. If voice mail messages were a closing tool we'd have a source code for them. Ha!

Gerry... this is uncommon to disagree w/ you but I have to... I think it's a necessity to have your website on your VM... Your website should be one of your most marketable tools and in some cases one of the most costly. I advertise our website as much as possible and allow it to be a great leasing tool. In fact, from our VM message directing people to our website about 40% of our missed calls immediately get on our website and send over an email to me from our website. Which automatically gives me one more avenue for follow up. We advertise in the local paper, college paper, apartmentguide, flyers and other marketing outlets so not everyone initially finds us on our website. It also makes for a great icebreaker when you call the prospect back... One of the first questions I ask is if they have visited our webpage? If they have not, I ask them if they are near their computer and then from there we navigate through our website where I can easily explain to them layouts as it is on their screen as well as pricing and upgrades etc. Of course the final stop is showing them where they can find the application so they can bring it with them during their visit. We get a lot of compliments on our website as it is very informative but at the same time refers the person back to contacting us via phone so they don't get every bit of information but enough to make them want to call...

I hate the VM's that start with "press 1 if this is a maintenance emergency." If you are calling to inquire about leasing, the first thing you think is "this place needs maintenance.

Chrissy, you make me smile!! When a property has a website it should be on all advertising, flyers, and correspondence. The company paid big bucks to have the web site developed; we want to direct folks to it!! It is also a great tool to use when talking to a prospect on the phone. The leasing person can direct the prospect to the site and talk about floor plans and amenities WITH the prospect!
In my opinion VM tend to be to long and boring. By the time I call the property, I just want to talk with a PERSON! I have been to the web site, and I don’t want to be directed back to it! Of course, I am also in the business and maybe just a little impatient!!
:silly:

At least I made you smile... I'm still right though hahaha!! Sorry I had to tease you a little