7 Secrets For Leaving Better Voicemail Messages

If you're like most business people, you leave voicemail messages all day long but you're rarely given much thought to how you're doing it. Voicemail can be a great way to save time, but it can also create unintended negative results if you're unaware of a few bad habits. Here are 7 secrets to leaving better voicemail messages.

1. Start with something personal - Telemarketer calls are such a problem these days, people might think you are a spammer if you don't quickly say your name and why you are calling them. If you don't know the person well, it's best to say "Bob, this is Pam Smith, we met at the NAWBO luncheon last Tuesday and you asked me to follow up with you." Now you can be sure your message will be fully heard.

2. Keep it brief - Everyone is time pressed these days. Voicemail is no place to get into a long story. Just leave the tip of the iceberg and save all the juicy details for when they call you back.

3. Slow down - If you're at all nervous, there is a natural tendency to rush. It is better to speak slowly and clearly, even if it means you will have to distill your message down to its essence. When you talk too quickly, people often miss what you're saying.

4. Repeat your callback number - People are often distracted when they're listening to their voicemail playbacks. Even if you say your number slowly, they may miss some of it. That's why it's considerate to repeat it. That way the other person doesn't have to replay the whole message a second time.

5. If you're cranky, don't make phone calls - A person's energy comes through loud and clear over phone wires, so if you're having a bad day, focus on other tasks, or watch funny YouTube videos until you shake off your blues.

6. Don't call and hang up repeatedly - With some phone systems, it creates a voicemail for each call received, even if you don't speak. If you're in the habit of calling people repeatedly until they pick up, you may inadvertently create a situation where they have to sit and delete multiple blank messages from you before they can get to their actual voice messages. This does not build goodwill.

7. Script important messages - Certain messages are critical. For these types of messages, it's a good idea to write down your main points so that you don't lose your train of thought and ramble. As long as you can sound natural, it's okay to have some written words to guide you as you leave your message.

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Customers Don't Have to Leave Messages and Wait for Callback With Call Forwarding

Call forwarding is an often-underrated feature associated with landlines, mobile phones and virtual phone systems. When it comes to running a small business, this feature often proves to be crucial to providing the best customer service possible.

Understanding Call Forwarding

Call forwarding is the process by which incoming telephone calls are diverted to another termination point. Essentially, someone who 'forwards' their calls to a secondary device will receive all of the calls intended for their primary number on that device. This feature is quite common among consumers who want to forward incoming landline calls to their mobile phones, but it is also very helpful for small businesses. By using this feature, business owners and employees can always be available for their customers, even when they are at home or otherwise out of the office. It comes standard with many virtual phone system packages intended for use by small businesses.

Voicemail vs. Forwarding

The first thought that many people have when it comes to call forwarding is that the voicemail is available to callers when the employee or business owner is not. This is very true and voicemail certainly serves a purpose. During business hours, on the other hand, someone should always be available to answer the phones in person. This does not mean that employees or business owners should be tied to their offices or desks during business hours; the forwarding feature allows telephone numbers to become mobile. Whether at home or on-the-go, everyone can easily receive their telephone calls.

Benefits to Customers

There are plenty of benefits to customers when businesses choose to forward their calls instead of simply allowing them to go to voicemail. First, there is always someone available to answer the phone and the frustration of leaving a message and waiting for a callback is avoided. Second, there is always someone available to take service calls or sell products and this prevents the customer from hanging up and calling another place of business. Finally, there is less apprehension on the customer's part because there is no worrying about whether or not a callback will occur in a timely manner-or if it will even occur at all.

After-Hours Calls

Some businesses provide services that are in demand 24 hours a day, making it necessary for someone to be available around the clock. Since it would be impractical to provide home or mobile telephone numbers to the general public, call forwarding can be a great alternative. All of the incoming business calls can be routed to a single individual who is responsible for scheduling appointments or making emergency repairs for that time frame. Consumers will not have to wait for the business to reopen in order to speak to someone, but it is not necessary for an employee to remain at the business site after business hours.

While voicemail certainly serves a purpose and there are times when callbacks are the best course of action, most consumers would prefer to speak to a live person whenever possible. Thanks to call forwarding, this is a real possibility that has been made affordable and practical.

Mike Allen is an Online Marketing Executive at iTeleCenter, a company that provides local numbers, 1800 numbers, vanity numbers and toll free number conjunction with virtual phone system to their clients. Services include Call Forwarding, voicemail, send fax online and more.

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Customers Don't Have to Leave Messages and Wait for Callback With Call Forwarding

Call forwarding is an often-underrated feature associated with landlines, mobile phones and virtual phone systems. When it comes to running a small business, this feature often proves to be crucial to providing the best customer service possible.

Understanding Call Forwarding

Call forwarding is the process by which incoming telephone calls are diverted to another termination point. Essentially, someone who 'forwards' their calls to a secondary device will receive all of the calls intended for their primary number on that device. This feature is quite common among consumers who want to forward incoming landline calls to their mobile phones, but it is also very helpful for small businesses. By using this feature, business owners and employees can always be available for their customers, even when they are at home or otherwise out of the office. It comes standard with many virtual phone system packages intended for use by small businesses.

Voicemail vs. Forwarding

The first thought that many people have when it comes to call forwarding is that the voicemail is available to callers when the employee or business owner is not. This is very true and voicemail certainly serves a purpose. During business hours, on the other hand, someone should always be available to answer the phones in person. This does not mean that employees or business owners should be tied to their offices or desks during business hours; the forwarding feature allows telephone numbers to become mobile. Whether at home or on-the-go, everyone can easily receive their telephone calls.

Benefits to Customers

There are plenty of benefits to customers when businesses choose to forward their calls instead of simply allowing them to go to voicemail. First, there is always someone available to answer the phone and the frustration of leaving a message and waiting for a callback is avoided. Second, there is always someone available to take service calls or sell products and this prevents the customer from hanging up and calling another place of business. Finally, there is less apprehension on the customer's part because there is no worrying about whether or not a callback will occur in a timely manner-or if it will even occur at all.

After-Hours Calls

Some businesses provide services that are in demand 24 hours a day, making it necessary for someone to be available around the clock. Since it would be impractical to provide home or mobile telephone numbers to the general public, call forwarding can be a great alternative. All of the incoming business calls can be routed to a single individual who is responsible for scheduling appointments or making emergency repairs for that time frame. Consumers will not have to wait for the business to reopen in order to speak to someone, but it is not necessary for an employee to remain at the business site after business hours.

While voicemail certainly serves a purpose and there are times when callbacks are the best course of action, most consumers would prefer to speak to a live person whenever possible. Thanks to call forwarding, this is a real possibility that has been made affordable and practical.

Mike Allen is an Online Marketing Executive at iTeleCenter, a company that provides local numbers, 1800 numbers, vanity numbers and toll free number conjunction with virtual phone system to their clients. Services include Call Forwarding, voicemail, send fax online and more.

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7 Secrets For Leaving Better Voicemail Messages

If you're like most business people, you leave voicemail messages all day long but you're rarely given much thought to how you're doing it. Voicemail can be a great way to save time, but it can also create unintended negative results if you're unaware of a few bad habits. Here are 7 secrets to leaving better voicemail messages.

1. Start with something personal - Telemarketer calls are such a problem these days, people might think you are a spammer if you don't quickly say your name and why you are calling them. If you don't know the person well, it's best to say "Bob, this is Pam Smith, we met at the NAWBO luncheon last Tuesday and you asked me to follow up with you." Now you can be sure your message will be fully heard.

2. Keep it brief - Everyone is time pressed these days. Voicemail is no place to get into a long story. Just leave the tip of the iceberg and save all the juicy details for when they call you back.

3. Slow down - If you're at all nervous, there is a natural tendency to rush. It is better to speak slowly and clearly, even if it means you will have to distill your message down to its essence. When you talk too quickly, people often miss what you're saying.

4. Repeat your callback number - People are often distracted when they're listening to their voicemail playbacks. Even if you say your number slowly, they may miss some of it. That's why it's considerate to repeat it. That way the other person doesn't have to replay the whole message a second time.

5. If you're cranky, don't make phone calls - A person's energy comes through loud and clear over phone wires, so if you're having a bad day, focus on other tasks, or watch funny YouTube videos until you shake off your blues.

6. Don't call and hang up repeatedly - With some phone systems, it creates a voicemail for each call received, even if you don't speak. If you're in the habit of calling people repeatedly until they pick up, you may inadvertently create a situation where they have to sit and delete multiple blank messages from you before they can get to their actual voice messages. This does not build goodwill.

7. Script important messages - Certain messages are critical. For these types of messages, it's a good idea to write down your main points so that you don't lose your train of thought and ramble. As long as you can sound natural, it's okay to have some written words to guide you as you leave your message.

Article Source

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