How to leave a voicemail.

By Agora Strategic Advisor Kevin Brownlee

Leaving an incorrect voicemail is a sign of an unprofessional person or company lacking manners.  If you’ve ever received a voicemail like this: “Bob, this is you know who, give me a call”.  You know what I mean, especially if you don’t know who Bob is.

Train your employees to leave a proper and professional voicemail, and your company will stand out and business will improve.  Here are the rules and manners for leaving a voicemail:

1. The voicemail IS:
   1. Asynchronous (information sent in one direction)
   2. A tool to leave a message or to briefly inform of progress.
   3. A tool to move the conversation forward.
   4. To solicit a reply.
   5. A way to save money.
   6. Forever
   7. Effective
2. The voicemail IS NOT: 
   1. A replacement for actual conversation.
   2. A method of delivering facts that need confirmation.
   3. The easy way out, or a method to avoid conflict.
   4. A method to create an obligation without appropriate understanding. (which is selfish, un-polite, and un-professional)
   5. Phone tag. (see 1.3 above)
   6. A private message.
   7. A sales tool.
3. The voicemail always has:
   1. Professional content.
      1. Assume it will be played for other people.
      2. Effective and to the point. Moves the conversation forward.
   2. A pleasant tone.
      1. A smile in your voice
      2. No anger, no yelling, not offensive or defensive.
   3. A brief duration.
      1. Seconds, not minutes.
      2. To the point. Moves the conversation forward.
      3. Does not cause the recipient to stop listening.
      4. Details. Nothing else.
4. The voicemail components are:
   1. Their name.
      1. Always start with their name first. It is polite, courteous, and professional.
   2. Your name.
      1. It is for them, not about you. Giving your name gives that person the mental picture of you, and does not cause undue effort.
      2. Do not assume the recipient knows your voice.
      3. Leave your first and last name, or your first name and company.
   3. The message.
      1. Brief
      2. Content moves the conversation forward
      3. (Bottom Line Up Front)
      4. Other person centered. Not self centered.
   4. Your phone and email
      1. Leave two ways to contact you, phone and email.
      2. Don’t assume they have caller ID.
      3. Don’t cause them to look up your number, which is proper courtesy.
      4. Allow them to grab a pencil. “My number is <pause>_ _ _”
      5. Say your number and email slow and enunciate. Once is enough if you said it audio-legibly.

Agora Strategic Consulting Group can help your business in a lot more ways than leaving a voicemail.  Contact us today to find out how  kevinb@agoraconsulting.us.