AI Voicemail Drops: Do They Really Get Callbacks? (Real Results Inside)

Yes, AI voicemail drops can get callbacks, but the result depends on who you contact, what you say, and what you count as a response.

Topa customers report callbacks from campaigns, including one customer who says they’ve seen a 23% callback rate. That’s encouraging, but it isn’t a guaranteed benchmark. Campaign results vary, and a callback is only one way a voicemail can help your outreach.

Here’s what the available results show, how to run a useful test, and where AI voicemail fits into a compliant cold outreach plan.

First, be clear about what “callback rate” means

A voicemail campaign can trigger several different outcomes:

• Callback: The recipient returns your call.
• Email reply: The recipient replies to a related email.
• Meeting booked: The recipient schedules a call or demo.
• Next-call pickup: The recipient answers a later outbound call.

These are not interchangeable. A campaign might generate few callbacks but still help prompt email replies or meetings.

To calculate callback rate, use:

Callback rate = unique recipients who called back ÷ unique recipients who received a voicemail × 100

Set a consistent measurement window, such as seven days. Count people, not repeated drops, and report other outcomes separately. That gives you a clearer view of whether your AI voicemail is helping.

What do real results say?

Topa publishes examples from customer campaigns. For instance, one B2B financial services campaign lists 26 callbacks from 528 unique contacts (4.9%) and 44 email replies (8.3%). The page reports a 13.2% overall response rate for that example.

Another B2B apprenticeship campaign lists 55 callbacks (12%) and 41 email replies (9%). A customer at Scaleasy has also shared: “We’ve been using Ai Voicemails in our outbound and it’s been working a treat. 23% callback rates!”

These are useful real-world signals, not a promise of what your campaign will achieve. The examples are not presented as controlled experiments, and the results may reflect the audience, list quality, campaign design, and how responses were counted. Treat them as a reason to test, not a forecast.

There’s another helpful benchmark from Gong’s analysis of more than 300 million cold calls. Gong reports that voicemail was associated with an increase in email reply rate from 2.73% to 5.87% in its data. The same analysis found a lower future connect rate for calls after a voicemail.

That study looked at sales voicemails, not specifically Topa’s AI drops, and the results don’t prove that a voicemail caused every reply. But they point to a practical takeaway: don’t judge voicemail only by the callbacks it brings in. It may be more valuable as a way to support the next touch in your outreach sequence.

Make the voicemail support your outreach, not replace it

A voicemail works best when it gives the recipient a reason to notice your name and take one simple next step. It shouldn’t try to deliver your whole pitch.

Try this structure:

1. Say who you are. Give your name and company.
2. Add relevant context. Explain briefly why you’re contacting them.
3. Keep it short. Aim for around 15–30 seconds.
4. Give one next step. For example, ask them to look for your email.
5. Follow through. Send the email you mentioned, with a clear subject line and relevant message.

Example script

Hi [Name], it’s [Your Name] from [Company]. I’m reaching out because [brief, verified reason]. I’ve just sent you an email with a little more detail. If it’s relevant, take a look when you have a moment. Again, it’s [Your Name] at [Company]. Thanks.

Personalize the message with facts you can verify. Use a real callback number, and don’t pretend the message is a live conversation. A natural voice can make a message easier to listen to; it shouldn’t be used to mislead someone about who’s speaking or why.

Where AI voicemail fits in a multi-channel sequence

A voice drop can be part of a broader cold outreach campaign, rather than a standalone tactic. For example, a business could enrich a permitted contact record, send a relevant email, and include a voicemail touch where that outreach is lawful and appropriate.

Topa’s AI voicemails are designed to send personalized messages directly to a lead’s voicemail service. The platform describes options for preset voices or cloning a voice, plus workflows with tools such as Instantly.ai, Smartlead.ai, LinkedIn campaigns, and webhooks.

The Topa workflow diagram shows how contact enrichment and voicemail can connect with other outreach channels.

For your first campaign, keep the setup simple:

• Choose a specific audience and campaign goal.
• Use a short script that fits that audience.
• Send one voicemail and follow with the promised channel.
• Track callbacks, email replies, meetings, opt-outs, and complaints separately.
• Review results before changing the script or sending more messages.

Test it properly before you scale

You don’t need a complicated experiment to get a useful first read. Compare similar groups and keep the rest of your outreach as consistent as possible.

Set up a simple test:

1. Choose a relevant audience. Start with one segment, not a mixed list.
2. Create a comparison group. Send the same general outreach without a voicemail.
3. Use one clear script. Avoid changing the message halfway through.
4. Set the measurement window. For example, track outcomes for seven days.
5. Compare the right outcomes. Measure callbacks, email replies, and meetings separately.
6. Check quality as well as volume. A relevant conversation is more valuable than an unqualified callback.

Keep your claims modest until you have enough results. A small sample can swing quickly, and a high response rate on a narrow or warm audience may not transfer to a new list.

A quick note on consent and voice cloning

Follow the rules before you launch. Requirements depend on where you’re calling, who you’re contacting, the purpose of the message, and how the call is placed. Check the rules that apply to your campaign and get legal advice where needed.

In the United States, the FCC says AI-generated human-sounding calls, including voice cloning, fall under the TCPA’s restrictions on artificial or prerecorded voice calls. The ruling describes consent requirements, including prior express written consent when a call contains telemarketing or an advertisement. Requirements and exemptions depend on the facts of the call.

Before using an AI voice:

• Confirm you have the consent required for your audience and campaign.
• Identify the business responsible for the call where required.
• Provide required opt-out options and honor requests promptly.
• Clone only a voice you have permission to use.
• Don’t imitate someone else or use a voice in a misleading way.

This is a practical reminder, not legal advice. Review relevant national and local rules before sending.

So, do AI voicemail drops really get callbacks?

They can. Topa’s published campaign examples and customer feedback show callbacks across different use cases. But no single result guarantees what you’ll see, and callbacks aren’t the only outcome worth measuring.

Keep the message brief, relevant, and honest. Connect it to a useful follow-up. Then test your own campaign and decide based on qualified responses, not a headline percentage.

Ready to test it? Explore Topa AI voicemails, or sign up for a free account and build a small, measurable campaign first.