“Hi, you’ve reached XYZ. I’m not at the office right now. Please leave a message.”
You’ve heard it so many times you could recite it in your sleep. Yet somehow, brokers still believe like the beep is a deal end – when In reality, it’s one of the few remaining unscripted spaces left in business communication.
When "Just Call More" Worked
Here’s the math: in 2025, 80% of all business calls go to voicemail, and 95% of those will never be returned. That statistic usually makes people roll their eyes, but let’s think about it differently. 5% do get a response.
And in a world where the average deal takes 12 to 18 months to close, that 5% might be the difference between growth and “just getting by.”
So no – voicemail isn’t dead. It’s just badly used.
Thirty-five years ago, persistence was the strategy.
Fifty calls a day, ten appointments a week, one close. Rinse, repeat.
That worked when people actually answered phones, when gatekeepers guarded the castle, and when voicemail was still considered cutting-edge technology.
But today’s “gatekeepers” are software. Caller ID is the new moat. And you’re not battling an assistant anymore – you’re battling automation, attention span, and apathy.
So the goal isn’t to get past voicemail. The goal is to get good at it.
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The Beep Is Your 30-Second Radio Ad
Most brokers leave voicemails like they’re auditioning for disappointment:
“Hey, just checking in, please call me back…”
They treat voicemail as a call-to-action instead of a brand impression.
You’re not trying to close a deal in 20 seconds – you’re trying to make sure that the next time your email lands, your name feels familiar.
Your voicemail isn’t a sales pitch. It’s a mini ad campaign for your reputation.Think of it as your voice on air. If your prospect remembers your tone, rhythm, and clarity – even if they never call back – you’ve won the long game.
The Framework That Actually Works
John Clay, who’s been mastering the art of the follow-up longer than some brokers have been alive, puts it like this:
“Every good voicemail has four parts – situation, problem awareness, consequence, and solution”
It’s not about clever hooks or fancy lines. It’s about relevance. Here’s what that looks like in practice:
Situation: Name what’s happening right now in the market.
“We’re seeing Anthem renewals coming in with double-digit increases”
Problem Awareness: Connect it to their business reality.
“It’s the same pattern we saw last year – costs quietly eroding margins.”
Consequence of Inaction: Add urgency without the drama.
“If it continues, renewal costs will double again within five years.”
Solution: Offer perspective, not pressure.
“There are structured ways to reverse that trend. When it makes sense for you, we’ll talk.”
This format doesn’t demand attention – it earns it.
In prospecting, patience is the tax you pay for real influence.
Prospecting Broker Three-Week Voicemail Cycle
At Prospecting Broker, we run voicemails for brokers like campaigns – not random bursts of effort.
Here’s how the cycle works:
Week 1 – About You:
Introduce yourself, your company, and your focus. Your job here isn’t to sell. It’s to register your voice and your credibility. Use “I’m the guy / girl who…”
Week 2 – About Them:
Bring up something specific about their company. Reference a merger, an expansion, or a benefits trend that likely affects them. This week is about relevance.
Week 3 – About Action:
Now, connect them to another channel – your email, Linkedin post, or webinar. The call to action is gentle: “Here’s something worth checking out,” not “Call me back.”
Then, repeat 52 weeks a year.
Your words change. Your rhythm doesn’t.
Marketing is optional. Prospecting is Oxygen.
Brokers tend to treat Q4 as a finish line. It’s not. It’s the launchpad for the next 12 months.
Even if your prospects already renewed, this is the season when they start to feel the cost of that renewal. That’s when awareness turns into reflection – and reflection is where deals begin.
So yes, leave that voicemail.
Even if it goes unanswered.
Especially if it goes unanswered.
Because next year, when that same prospect finally needs a solution, they’ll scroll through their inbox, see your name, and think: “I know this voice.”
And that’s exactly the point.
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