This article is not so much about presenting as it is about presenting one’s self to others. I recently suffered through a poorly recorded voicemail that left me more confused than intrigued. So I thought I’d take this opportunity to go over the basics of how to leave a great phone message.
#1: Speak slowly and clearly
If you whip through your name and contact information, people who don’t know you will be forced to work out your name phonetically and listen to your message again and again.Think about speaking about 33% more slowly than you normally do. While it will seem strange to you, all your voicemail recipient will know is that they’re listening to a message they can actually understand. Another trick is to use short sentences, pausing briefly between ideas.
Wrong: “Hi, my name is Aleh Slart from Gorgitech.”
Right: “Hi, my name is Alice [pause] Hart. [pause] I’m calling from Georgia Tech.”
#2: Keep it short and sweet
Get to the point! Audiobooks are great, but not when they’re used as voicemail. Tell people who you are, where you’re calling from, how to contact you, and a brief reason for calling.
Wrong: “Hi, my name is Aleh Slart from Gorgitech. I was talking with a friend of mine at a party last week, and I told him that my boss wants me to freshen up some of his PowerPoint presentations. They were all designed, like, five years ago and there’s a lot on there that I don’t like. He’s Professor John Flynn, who teaches physics here. Not my friend, my boss. Anyway, my friend said to look you up so I Googled your name and got your number. Do you think we could talk about this sometime so that I can get these presentations updated? Thanks!”
Right: “Hi, my name is Alice [pause] Hart. [pause] I’m calling from Georgia Tech. [pause] I’d like to talk with you about redesigning some PowerPoint presentations.”
#3: Provide contact info twice
How many times have you listened to a long voicemail, then missed the callback number given at the end of the message? You have to listen to the whole thing again to get it, maybe multiple times if the caller’s speech is indistinct or rapid. Don’t make it hard for people to get in touch with you! State your contact information at the beginning and at the end of your voicemail.
Wrong: “Hi, my name is Aleh Slart from Gorgitech. Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. EightEightEightFiveFiveFiveOneTwoThreeFour. Thanks!”
Right: “Hi, my name is Alice [pause] Hart. [pause] I’m calling from Georgia Tech. [pause]. My number is 888-555-1234. [pause] I’d like to talk with you about redesigning some PowerPoint presentations. Please call me. [pause] Again, this is Alice Hart from Georgia Tech, 888-555-1234.”
Now you’re a voicemail hero!
With slow, concise speech, brief explanations for your call and two opportunities to hear your name, affiliation and phone number, a well-crafted voicemail will increase your chances of a return call!