Leaving Phone Messages

When I phone anyone these days, I have a short message ready to leave on voice-mail. I assume I won’t reach the caller.

Be equally prepared and keep your message short. I leave my name, the reason for calling, and my own phone number, which I usually repeat. I speak at a medium pace, without rushing.

I always know when a sales person has called me because they talk too fast, and they mention their phone number only once.

Top Tips When Leaving a Phone Message

1. Rehearse what you will say.

2. Avoid talking too quickly or too slowly.

3. Enunciate your words clearly.

4. Avoid leaving a vague, cryptic message; for example: “It’s Mary. Call me.”

5. Avoid leaving a long, chatty message as though you were chatting with the person; get to the point.

6. Ensure you include critical information: Who you are. Who you represent. Why you’re calling. Any action expected, and from whom.

7. Leave your phone number. Always. Even if they are your best friend. Don’t assume they have immediate access to your phone number. Or will remember it without a note.

8. Repeat your phone number. 

Voice-Mail Technique: Recording Your Own Message

Why devote a section to voice-mail technique? I’ll tell you why: it’s communication. And many people take voice-mail for granted.

© Canstockphoto

When you phone someone, what do you hear? Often, it’s a long-winded message about why someone can’t come to the phone. (e.g., I’m not here right now, or I’m on the line or away from my desk.)

I favour a simple approach: “This is the voice-mail of Roger Davies. Please leave your message now.”

If I’m away for a longer period, I will say: “This is the voice-mail of Roger Davies. I will be returning to the office on February 7^th. If you wish to leave a message, please do so. I will get back to you as soon as I can.”

Notice that I said, “I’ll be returning.” I didn’t go into detail about what I was doing while away.

Put some thought into your own message.

Being polite is nice. Smiling when you record your message is also nice. If you don’t smile, you can come across as negative or cranky. Smiling communicates.

No matter what, get to the point!

Dress Code Communicates

How should you dress at work?

Look around your organization. What does everyone else do? Perhaps ask your manager for guidance. Check out the company policy on the matter. And respect it. Ignoring the policy will not help your cause.

In our case, 30 years ago, we tended to dress like our clients: fairly conservatively, leaning towards smart casual.

Over the years, we loosened our policy. Now we have a fairly flexible guideline: if clients are coming into our offices, we expect our team to “up the ante.” If no clients are expected and it’s snowy outside, we don’t mind your wearing jeans. Still, don’t turn up as if you’re coming to work in a car wash!!

Companies expect professional standards and evidence that staff care about their appearance.

You don’t have to spend oodles of money. You don’t have to represent the latest in fashion. You just need to look presentable.

If you care about your appearance, it communicates a powerful message: You care about your job.