“Hey man, what’s up? Gimme a call back when you get this. Peace!” This is the type of voicemail message that buddies from high school may leave each other. However, in the business world, such messages are simply not going to fly. To be taken seriously, it’s important to leave voicemails that present the brand that you represent in a very professional light. But you may be surprised how many people misrepresent their businesses when leaving messages.
Leaving a voicemail can be trickier than you think. It’s important to consider what you have to say and how short a time you can communicate it in. After all, more than half of the calls we make in a day end up going to voicemail inboxes. Consider the reason for your call and think of ways that you can communicate it in under a minute. Keeping it concise is perhaps the first step to leaving a professional voicemail. But what else should you keep in mind?
Here are five steps to leaving professional voicemails:
1. Don’t ramble. As mentioned, it’s important to be concise. But you don’t want to leave out any pertinent details. As mentioned, you should think about what you have to say before dialing that number. Consider how you would summarize the purpose of your call. When you ramble on during your message, you stand the chance of having the phone system cut you off. Even worse, you run the risk of having the recipient of your voicemail not take you seriously enough to want to return the call.
2. Speak slowly and clearly. One of the most annoying things about a voicemail is the (sometimes) inability to hear everything that the person who left the message has said. It is especially frustrating when a phone number is being left, but the person leaving it is rattling off the numbers too quickly. Be sure to speak slowly and clearly so that the person receiving the message can make out every word. Not doing so could mean your call going unreturned.
3. Introduce yourself. Don’t assume that the person you are calling knows who you are. Even if you have a strong relationship with the other person, avoid leaving messages that begin with greetings such as “hey, it’s me”. State your name and the business you are calling from. After all, the person that you are leaving the message for may not be the person who hears it first! Be clear about who you are and where you’re calling from each and every time you leave a message.
4. Correct dropped calls. It happens. You’re right in the middle of leaving a voicemail and the next thing you know, you’re hearing a dial tone or a recorded voice apologizing because you’re “having trouble”. Don’t you just hate that? Be sure to call back and inform the recipient of your message that your previous message may have been cut off. By not calling back, you run the risk of not having your entire message heard and your call not being returned.
5. “Proofread” your messages. Voicemail systems most often give you the option of being able to listen back to your message before sending it. Take advantage of this option. Listen to what you sound like and determine if it’s the way you’d like to represent yourself and your brand. If not, you can erase and re-record it. This is a best practice for those wanting to leave professional impressions with each and every call.
At MeloTel, we offer unbeatable Commercial Phone Services that come with a long list of options to choose from. Among them, of course, is voicemail as well as “Voicemail in your Email”. This feature allows you to receive voicemails as WAV files in your email inbox. Clearly, it’s as important to return phone calls as it is to leave professional messages that elicit call backs. For more information, give us a call at 1-888-MELOTEL!
