Talk is Cheap, Voicemails are Expensive

“A conversation is a dialogue, not a monologue. That's why there are so few good conversations: due to scarcity, two intelligent talkers seldom meet.” 

- Truman Capote, American writer 1942-1984

Talk is cheap, voicemails are expensive. I thought it would be an interesting exercise to try and figure out how many cold calls I’ve made in my career, so I grabbed a calculator and began pounding out numbers. It’s difficult to get an exact total, but based on an average of 75 calls per week my total was around 40,000 calls. 

If part of your daily role involves outbound calling in an effort to solicit new business, I would strongly encourage a study of the most effective voicemail techniques to ensure the best possible result. Industry leader XANT published a great article on this. 

My two cents: voicemails are a waste of time. It occurred to me that after making roughly 40,000 calls I could count on two hands the number of times I have received a call back from a truly interested prospect. The fact is, most future customers are not going to return your call, especially if you’re calling into VP-level or C-Suite. 

If we look at the stats, eight years ago the average voicemail return rate was 5%, and it continues to fall. Even worse, 15% of the time sales reps spent at work was on leaving voicemails, and that number increases depending on the call volume. 

The hard reality: voicemails will more likely be a waste of your precious time than a useful sales endeavor. What really matters in the number of actual conversations you have. Even emails can be far more effective in the long run, and can be used strategically to prepare future customers for your call. 

Walk Your Way to Self-Confidence and Personal Trust

 “As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live.”

 - Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, German writer and poet 1749-1832

I went for a walk yesterday because my doctor has been bugging me to get out of the office and inhale some air that hasn’t been recycled by an HVAC system. I must admit, it was one of the best things I’ve done all week (and it’s only Tuesday). 

Not only did I see some of my fellow neighbors doing the same, but the weather was beautiful, skies were clear, and the sun was shining. I had a clear view of the Rocky Mountains and the natural air travelled right to my brain. It was like candy for the soul. 

Even though I don’t always agree with her, I trust my doctor and she has proven time and again that she has my best interests in mind. While I was on my walk it occurred to me that I trust my doctor more than I trust myself with certain aspects of my life. Strange. 

It turns out that one of the ways to develop self-trust is to spend time with your own thoughts. A little self-love and quiet contemplation and gentle introspection. You know, let the knowledge of the universe seep in. I guess that walk was just as much a medical necessity as it was a spiritual and emotional requirement.

Arriving back at my desk I felt refreshed, calm, and nearly stress-free. Might be some value in this walking thing after all. 

Push yourself, because no one else will do it for you.