Does Dropping Voicemails Without Ringing Actually Help Businesses Get More Sales Replies?

 

Let's get right to the basics. Ringless voicemail means your recorded message goes directly into a person's voicemail inbox, without their phone ringing at any point. They receive a little notification that they have a new voicemail and listen to it at their time.

In a B2B context, this is a way to get in touch with decision makers without interrupting their busy schedules. A VP of operations is unlikely to pick up a random call during a meeting, but they might check their voicemails between meetings. The B2B ringless voicemail allows getting in touch with a prospect without cold-calling ten times and hoping they'll finally grant an appointment.

The technology enables dropping a message right in the recipient's voicemail box by connecting to their carrier directly.

Why Sales Teams Come Back to It

In today's cold outreach environment, emails are crowded, hard to get opened and even more difficult to turn into sales meetings. LinkedIn is full of people trying to sell you something and phone calls are routinely screened and marked as spam.

Voicemail is a largely untapped channel, which business owners and managers tend to use and check more often than any other. A voice can convey information that an email cannot: warmth, tone and personality. Prospects are more likely to trust a voice, a real or imitated one, and engage in conversation.

Another strong argument in favor of ringless voicemail is time spent. Representatives can contact hundreds of prospects in the time it takes for them to manually dial fifty numbers. They do not spend endless minutes waiting for a call to ring and answer, just to repeat the same message over and over. They record a message, load a list and move on to the more important task - sales talks, which is where the money is.

How a Ringless Voicemail Service Works

When looking into ringless voicemail services, you'll be spoiled for choice. A typical ringless voicemail service will have a dashboard where you upload your contact list, record your message and click 'send'. More advanced platforms have a number of features that streamline this process and help get replies: scheduling, call-back number tracking, CRM synchronization, opt-out management, etc. The last one is especially important - more on that below. Pricing is another consideration: some platforms offer cheap per-drop rates and steeper billing for higher volumes. You'll also see monthly subscriptions and various other billing methods. Quality often comes at a price, so bear in mind that ultra-cheap services often fail to deliver promised results.

The Legal Stuff

It is important to remember that ringless voicemail drops are illegal in the United States in most cases. According to the Federal Communications Commission, ringless voicemails fall under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and require prior express consent. In other words, you are not allowed to send unsolicited messages to cell phone numbers with ringless voicemail, unless the prospect has given you consent.

Some companies believe that B2B sales are an exempt category, but that is a common misconception. TCPA rules still apply to any call, email or voicemail that is sent to a cell phone, even if the recipient is a business owner.

To mitigate legal risks, always use opt-in lists and request consent when a prospect fills out an inquiry form, subscribes to a blog, attends a webinar, etc. Maintain thorough documentation of such interactions with prospects and be mindful of the Do Not Call registry. Add a call to action and an opt-out clause to your voicemails, where applicable.

As an experienced attorney, I strongly advise consulting a professional before launching any cold outreach campaign, including ringless voicemails. Laws change constantly and a lawsuit is much more expensive than a consultation. There are numerous class action lawsuits against telemarketing companies, so it is best to avoid legal risks altogether if possible.

Writing a Message That Gets Listened To

The most common cause for voicemail drops failing is script-related. Prospects are likely to delete your voicemail right after hearing a salesperson's robotic spiel, so it is important to craft a message that gets results.

Keep it short and to the point. A prospect will listen to a voicemail of 20 to 30 seconds on average. Say who you are and offer value that they can relate to. Add a call to action at the end of the voicemail. Avoid long-winded introductory paragraphs about your company's background or a list of features.

Speak like a human being and not like a robot. Prospects relate better to a real person, so it is important to modulate your voice and make it sound natural. Some pauses and minor stutters are a sign of a real voicemail. You should also reference specific prospects, industries or problems they are likely to face, instead of blasting the same voicemail to everyone. Even though it is not a personal conversation, a little customization goes a long way.

The call to action at the end of the voicemail should also be simple and non-threatening. You can say 'call me back at this number' or 'I'll send you an email, just let me know if it is helpful'. Low-pressure CTAs get much better results.

Where B2B Ringless Voicemail Fits in Your Outreach Mix

Do not try to use ringless voicemails as your sole outreach channel. Many companies make this mistake, only to then struggle with poor conversion rates and wasted resources. The best use of B2B ringless voicemail is as a complement to other outreach methods, such as LinkedIn outreach and email marketing.

A good example of a successful campaign would be to send out an introductory email, follow it up with a voicemail drop and a LinkedIn message or outreach call some time later. The prospect then sees your name three times in three different places and is much more likely to engage with any of your channels. Email and voicemail reinforce each other, providing much-needed credibility to both. This applies to any other cold outreach methods, such as social media outreach and even traditional phone calls.

It is also crucial to leverage ringless voicemail for dormant leads. If a prospect has not engaged with you for a long time, a simple voicemail drop can be the perfect outreach method. It is suitable for any stage in the pipeline: following up after a trade show or webinar, reaching out to prospects that have downloaded a whitepaper but never contacted you, or even nurturing old leads that were never engaged with in the first place. Always remember to use permission-based lists when using B2B ringless voicemail as an outreach method.

Measuring Results

It is important to understand how to measure results from your B2B ringless voicemail campaign. Simply put, delivery does not equal engagement and engagement does not equal sales. Always track response rates and callbacks to determine the effectiveness of your campaign. It is also crucial to track meetings set and sales made, as they tend to be the true measure of success - the ones that put money in your pocket.

A good campaign will see low engagement rates, usually in single digits. However, this is compensated by the large volume of prospects contacted and the high value of each reply. You should also experiment with various engagement rates and response rates, trying different scripts, drop times and other variables. It is best to focus on one change at a time to easily identify what had the biggest impact.

Common Mistakes

Let's review some of the most common mistakes that companies make when they begin using B2B ringless voicemail.

The first error is buying lists. Always use permission-based lists for your ringless voicemail campaigns. Purchased or scraped lists are not only illegal in many cases, but they often result in poor-quality prospects that will not reply to your messages.

The second error is overreaching: sending too many messages too frequently. Three voicemails per week is too much and is bound to annoy any prospect that receives it, damaging your brand's reputation with no results.

A third mistake is not disclosing your identity in the voicemail. Always say who you are and what company you represent at the beginning of the voicemail.

A fourth frequent error is not respecting the opt-out requests. If a prospect asks you to stop contacting them, you need to respect their decision immediately.

The final mistake is expecting immediate results. As mentioned above, ringless voicemail is not a magic pill that will get prospects to reply right away. It is a powerful tool, but it is not a silver bullet. You will get much better results from a well-structured campaign, using quality scripts, engagement techniques and permission-based lists. Garbage in, garbage out, as they say.

Conclusion

So, is it worth trying out B2B ringless voicemail? If you have permission-based lists, a great sales pitch and somebody to receive the callbacks, then yes: it will help you reach prospects that other outreach methods failed to get through to. B2B ringless voicemail is a powerful way to get in touch with prospects without annoying them with cold calls, but it requires legal compliance, good scripts and attention to detail. Choosing a reliable ringless voicemail service can also help you manage campaigns and track results. Done right, and you can see a great return on your investment. Let's now review the most common questions about B2B ringless voicemail.

FAQs

Is B2B ringless voicemail legal?

It can be, depending on the platform and the lists you use. Always check TCPA and local regulations to ensure that your B2B ringless voicemail campaign is compliant. In most cases, you need the recipient's express consent to drop a voicemail, hence the importance of permission-based lists.

How much does a ringless voicemail service cost?

It depends on the platform and the size of the campaign. Some companies charge several cents for every voicemail drop, while others have a monthly subscription. Always compare prices and features to get the best value for your money.

Does ringless voicemail work for cold outreach?

It can, but it is best to use it as part of a larger outreach campaign. Using ringless voicemail as a standalone channel rarely produces good results.

How long should a ringless voicemail message be?

Ideally, it should be between 20 and 30 seconds. This is enough time to introduce yourself, explain why you are calling and suggest a CTA.

What's a good response rate for ringless voicemail?

It depends on the script, timing and list quality, but response rates are generally low. Most campaigns report single-digit callback rates on average.

Can I personalize ringless voicemail drops?

Yes, you can. Many platforms allow adding personal touches, such as a prospect's name or company. It is important to keep the tone natural, so prospects do not suspect spam.

What's the best time to send business voicemail drops?

Mid-week mornings show good engagement, on average. However, it is best to track your own campaign and see what times deliver the best results.