Using phone, email, and social isn't merely about finding a channel that works; it's about becoming a known person. When a prospect has heard your voice on a voicemail and seen your face on LinkedIn, you are no longer an anonymous bot. This human connection dramatically increases the likelihood of a response, even if it's a polite 'no'.
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Don't use a generic opener. Lead with a specific trigger or context about the prospect, acknowledge it's a cold call, and then ask for 30 seconds of their time. This personalized approach makes every opener unique and more engaging, increasing the chances they'll listen.
Personalization is not one-size-fits-all. Director-level and above prospects are 50% more likely to respond to company-level relevance (e.g., business initiatives). In contrast, individual contributors and managers are more receptive to individual-level personalization.
When a prospect goes silent on your primary channels (email, work phone), they may be subconsciously filtering you out. Break this pattern by using a novel channel like WhatsApp or a different phone number. This can bypass their filters and elicit a response.
When a prospect's voicemail directs you to text, structure your message for reading, not listening. Start with relevance about them, not your name, because they will likely read a transcript. This optimizes the message for the medium they've chosen.
When a prospect doesn't respond, don't default to thinking they're ignoring you. Instead, assume they are extremely busy and your message was lost in the noise. This mindset encourages persistent, multi-channel follow-up rather than premature disqualification.
Reframe voicemails not as a request for a callback, but as a strategic preview for your next action, like an email or text. This guides the prospect to an easier response channel and makes the multi-touch sequence feel more cohesive and intentional.
Prospects rarely return calls from voicemails. The goal is to increase email reply rates. Leave a voicemail referencing your context, state you're sending an email to avoid phone tag, and ask them to reply there. This leverages one channel to boost another.
Stop measuring voicemail success by callbacks. Data suggests leaving a voicemail increases future pickup rates by over 25%. Furthermore, pointing the voicemail to an email you sent can triple the reply rate to that email, making it a powerful tool for multichannel prospecting.
Stop asking for callbacks in voicemails. Instead, use the voicemail as a brief 'bumper' to direct the prospect to a specific email you just sent. This tactic can triple email reply rates in a sequence by creating a multi-channel prompt for a higher-leverage channel.
Instead of a direct "just following up" message, tag your prospect in a relevant industry post on LinkedIn. This provides value, gives them visibility, and serves as a subtle reminder, positioning you as a helpful resource rather than a persistent seller.