WHAT IS THE REAL MESSAGE IS YOUR VOICEMAIL GIVING?

What does your voicemail message tell others? Is it boring? Is it casual? Is it too creative? What message are you really giving to people who call?

Six Guidelines

First, be concerned about safety. Don’t tell too much. I have a friend who lives in a gated community. Uber safe, right? He left a message saying, “Gone to Hawaii. I’ll call you back on the 15^th when I return.” Yep – you guessed it. Someone emptied his house while he was gone. The neighbor said the van came on the 14^th, so they thought it was a delivery from the vacation. Ouch. Lesson, don’t mention your absences. Friends and family know you are gone. No one else needs to know.

Second, don’t over promise. When you say, “I’ll call you in three hours,” you just know people will look at a clock and note when three hours are up. Say instead, “as soon as possible,” or some variation.

Third, we are in the 21^st century. That means you don’t have to mention what everyone already knows about voicemail. They know to leave a message. They know their call is important, or they wouldn’t be calling. They know you can’t come to the phone, you didn’t answer. They know what the beep means.This just takes up valuable time.

Fourth, don’t waste time on meaningless information. “Today is Sunday, April fourth and I’m too busy to answer the phone. Please leave a message at the beep.” Most people know which day of week and the date when they get up in the morning. If you don’t change it every single day, you leave a bad impression. Be brief. A message should only last 15-20 seconds.

Fifth, do be friendly. In the example just above, is that a friendly message? No. Your voicemail message is the impression of you when you’re not there. Say you’ll call back quickly. Say you’re sorry to have missed their call.

Sixth, smile when you record your message. The smile will come through in your tone of voice and improve your message. Honest!

Have others listen to your message and give you feedback. This is a great way to improve your message. Real-life testing of your message.

If you want to be creative, leave a daily thought for the day. You can quote someone else or it can be your own thought. You do have to change it daily (even the weekends) if you are serious about your voicemail and the impression that it leaves. If you want to go further, also say what the quote means to you. Keep it short. Limit your entire message to 40 words (15 seconds) or less.

Your voicemail informs the caller how original you are, how creative you are, and how friendly you are. Or not. It shows how much prep time and thought time you put into your message. And, even though it might be friendly, or lighthearted, it’s a reflection of how serious you are as a professional to be engaging, approachable, and different from others.

Here is a sample voicemail message. What do you think about the person who recorded it?

Hi there! I’m sorry I’ve missed your call. The thought for today is, "Do, or do not. There is no ‘try’." said Yoda, in The Empire Strikes Back. I have learned that doing is the most powerful action. I’ll return your call as soon as I am able. Thanks for leaving a message.

Pretty dynamic. Friendly. Complete. Professional. And they thanked me for leaving a message?? Great message all around. I can't commit to daily quotes. I'm just too forgetful. I do, however, change mine weekly. Just to show people I'm alive. ;-)

For This Week

Answer these questions for yourself to improve your voicemail.

1. Listen to your voicemail, how does it compare?
2. Ask five people to judge your voicemail and really listen to the feedback.
3. Ask yourself, how could I improve my voicemail?
4. Are you willing to make a commitment to daily quotes? If yes, then use short ones.
5. Is your message longer than 20 seconds? Improve it now. 

Did I overlook something? Please post a comment on what you like to hear in a voicemail message. Leave a tip that you think is best. Thanks!

A dream with a plan is a goal. A goal without a plan is just a dream.

All things are possible,

Elisabeth

Elisabeth Adler-Lund

Executive and Life Coaching

Telephone: 916 • 803•1494

E-mail: eal@EALCoaching.com