Telephone messages are a pet peeve of mine. Specifically, I prefer not to have to listen to a message multiple times in order to understand what is the reason for the call.
On a Sunday evening I had a telephone message from an individual asking me to call "as soon as possible". There was a variety of other information included but that was the only thing that came through clearly after the first two listenings. Eventually, I was able to sound out a telephone number and a reference as to where the caller and I supposedly knew each other from. I could definitely tell there was no explanation or reason as to why I needed to call asap.
Upon dialing the phone number, I found I could no more understand the person's outgoing message than I could comprehend what had been left on my voice mail. So having no idea of who I was calling, I simply stated my name, my phone number and that I was returning the call, again wondering at the urgency.
Eventually I received a call back; it turned out to be a sales pitch for a marketing idea from someone that had picked up my card at a networking meeting four months ago. We had never actually connected.
This was definitely one way to make a first -- and lasting -- impression.
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Remember...
When you leave a telephone message, speak clearly and succinctly. - State your name and your telephone number slowly enough so that they may be heard and understood.
- Leave a reason for the call. Do not think that being "mysterious" about it will intrigue people into calling you back, because in all likelihood, you will be ignored. Sometimes I'm too polite for my own good.
- Don't ask for someone to call you "as soon as possible" as your level of urgency is not going to be their own. How about "at your convenience" instead?
One additional note: There are some businesses that operate outside of traditional business hours but for the most part, people prefer to enjoy their "off duty" time. Make your calls during business days and hours. |
