The Correlation Of Professionalism And Voice Mail

You may not know it, but your outgoing voice mail message is a reflection of who you are. And if you take the time to craft the right message, it could impress new clients interested in your business. Here’s how you can be professional while at it.

First Impressions Last!

Your outgoing voice mail message should be simple, positive, and professional. Include your name, your company and succinct instructions for the caller. It helps to leave a daily message because it gives clients the impression you check your voice mail on a daily basis. For example, “Welcome to Steve Kaye’s voice mail at One Great Meeting. Today is Monday and I’m helping a client hold an effective meeting. Please leave a message and I’ll call you tomorrow.” This message lasts nine seconds.

These sounds make it make it difficult for callers to understand your outgoing voice mail message. Also, you will want to avoid engaging in vainglorious attempts to show off with credentials, cheesy poetry and (likely) off-key singing – face it, you’re not getting that Golden Ticket to Hollywood. Professionalism matters.

Practice Professional Courtesy

Some people check their voice mail to filter their calls. Remember, though, it is rude not to reply to a message, although it is certainly understandable if you want to minimize unwanted callbacks. Think of the people who left the message and what the message means to them. They wouldn’t call you for nothing.

Set aside a time each day to return calls. If somebody you do not want to do business with calls, then have your assistant make the call on your behalf. You can also leave your own message by calling back when the other person may not be near his/her phone. The very fact that you are returning a message is a very liberating feeling for both sides – and in most cases, this minimizes the chances of returning undesirable or unwanted phone calls. You may try something like, “Hi, Fred. Damian Silver here, I have just received your voice mail. I’d like to be taken off your list as I am not interested in having more money now. Thanks, though, for the offer,” which would take all of eight seconds.

Your system must be professional.

Even your voice mail system should smack of professionalism, so do not overlook. Avoid systems with long strings of beep tones, mechanical voices, or poor sound quality. Your outgoing voice mail message says a lot about you and your business, so make it professional regardless if you’re in a small or large operation.

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