Have you ever heard a voicemail greeting that really impressed you? Do you remember anyone's voicemail greeting? Do you even remember
your own? Many people have told me that their voicemail greeting was recorded long ago and they can't even remember what it says. Call your voicemail right now and listen to it with the ears of a prospective client. Would you buy from you? Even if you said "yes," continue reading -- Even if you are not in sales, continue reading ...
Last week, as I exited the Metro in St. Louis, my head was angled down toward the sidewalk while texting a friend. When I lifted my head I was suddenly looking at The Gateway Arch for the first time. This beautiful structure stood five blocks ahead of me and at 630 feet it was towering over the city, like a protector. As the sun shone brightly against its stainless steel exterior, I was awestruck. I had to get a closer look. I entered the underground museum at the base of The Arch, watched the "Making-of" movie, and then took the tram (Mork & Mindy 5-Passenger Egg Car) to the top where I observed the city from 630 feet. I gladly returned my feet to the grassy field that The Arch rests on, looked up and felt so inspired. I thought, "Wow - this is the perfect time to re-record my voicemail greeting." So, while standing at the base, I tilted my head back, thought about the people that began this unprecedented project back in 1963, appreciated its beauty while "taking it in", smiled from ear to ear and grabbed my cell phone ...
Consider the fact that your voicemail greeting, in many cases, is your client's very first impression of you as a person. More often than not, callers will hear your voicemail greeting before they'll get to the "Real McCoy." The effectiveness of your greeting can influence the caller to leave you a message...or not -- it could even help the caller determine whether they will be doing business with you...or not. What you say and how you say it, whether in person or on the phone, has a direct impact on your client's feelings, decisions and actions.
Fact is, very few people realize the impact of their voicemail greeting, so little attention is paid to it. As we are well aware, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. The good news is, this is an easy fix. By following the tips below, you can create such an effective and powerful greeting that you may even begin receiving compliments on it.
Script, rehearse, and then record:
Write it out exactly as you would like it, considering each sentence, then each word. Read it aloud a few times. Record from a quiet place and on a landline (It's simply a better quality recording than a cell phone connection). Notice how often people say, "uhhh" on their voicemail greeting? Don't they know they have more than one take on recording it?
Smile!
You've maybe heard of "Smile before you dial" -- apply that same tip here. A smile is heard on the other end. Record this greeting when you are feeling great; in a great mood.
Keep it brief, yet informative, positive and upbeat:
Shorten it by leaving out the "obvious instructions" and the "negative wording." (i.e., "I am sorry, but unfortunately I am not available to take your call right now." -- entirely obvious & entirely negative wording. Or how about, "After the beep, leave your name and number." -- everyone knows to wait for the beep -- they've been doing it for 30+ years. Everyone knows to leave their name and number and even if they forget (that's about 1 in 500), you've captured it on the caller ID anyway.)
Keep it informative by offering your website address (twice), e-mail address, alternate phone number, etc. and a future bypass method.
Take this opportunity to remind and/or inform your caller of pertinent information:
Do you work "by appointment" and want to subtly remind your clients of it? Do you set aside a specific time of day to return calls? Do you have clients that forget which day is your day off? Do you have a new website, product or service you would like to promote? Your voicemail greeting is one of the easiest ways to handle all of this and it costs you nothing.
Sample Greeting:
"Hi, this is Joe Johnson with XYZ Widgets. Please leave a message. I am either with an appointment or just away from my desk. Please visit my website WidgetJoe.com for my schedule and e-mail address. (Pause) Once again, that's WidgetJoe.com. (Pause) In the future, you may bypass this message by pressing "star." Thank You and I look forward to connecting with you soon!"
Every word of every sentence has been chosen carefully. Your message, like the one above, can be recorded clearly in about 17 seconds. Additionally, this message is from you and recorded by you, not your secretary, assistant or someone you asked to do it for you. ;-)
Remember to follow all of the above tips. Also remember all of your phones -- work, cell, etc.
When people actually begin complimenting you on your greeting, you know you've got it.
Bonus Tip:
When you go away, say you are "away" instead of using the word "vacation" -- your clients are considering spending money with you and don't need/want to hear about your vacations, as much as they love you. Saying you are away also enables clients to forgive you for not getting back to them as quickly as you normally would.
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Best Regards,
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