Yes I rant about voicemail a bit. However, it seems to me that if you want someone’s money, or time, or whatever, that you would leave them a voicemail they can understand.
I got a voicemail today from someone “Hi Elizabeth, this is (jumbled name) from (no clue what they said company) calling again…” Yeah, I didn’t reply the first time because I DIDN’T UNDERSTAND YOU.
It seems so simple: If you leave a voicemail, start with your name and phone number. THEN repeat your name and phone number at the end, or even right after. Speak Slowly, like you’re talking to your grandma.
The other option? I delete the voicemail and don’t call you back.

A couple of months ago a referral partner said he had a new client for me. I love when this happens, we all do. We met with the prospective client together and had a great meeting. The prospect asked great questions and we hit it off. SWEET. I had just finished working with a client so had room in my schedule, this was perfect. I followed up, sent the information for my contract and then the hesitation began. We stayed in touch but the prospect wanted to talk to a potential mentor/coach for the work we’d be doing together.

I pinged the prospect a couple weeks later as had been discussed. Come to find out the mentor was willing to help with the work we had discussed, but the prospect really liked me, which is AWESOME. It’s nice to be liked, it’s better when they like you enough to hire you and give you their money though!

So, I followed up as I do, thanking them for the opportunity and made a suggestion based on a comment in the email. And then…I got a response “I really like you, would you be willing to meet with me monthly to advise me on some strategy for this project?” And just like that I went from losing a client to gaining a client.

I will never exhaust of telling you the importance of follow up. But also: be gracious when you think you lost a client, you never know how it may circle back in your favor.