Hey amigos, you are listening to English Made Simple, this is episode number 178, number one-hundred and seventy-eight, numero ciento setenta y ocho.
What is the best way to save voicemails that are on a landline digital system? Should I buy a recorder? I want to keep my beautiful sister’s voice forever.
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Funny, the majority of us have a phone on us more hours of the day than not, but actually we’re harder to talk to than ever. On personal calls, and especially business calls, you’re much more likely to reach voicemail than the actual person you’re hoping to engage in conversation.
And you’re done! Your CenturyLink voicemail is now set up. Whenever you have an unheard message, you'll hear a stuttered dial tone when you pick up your home phone. Take a few minutes to gather your thoughts, even jot down a few notes, and practice before you record. Before you start recording, turn off anything in the background that might cause noise. This will ensure your voice is clear and easy to understand. While clever greetings can be fun, it's worth taking a moment to think about the range of potential callers who may be leaving you voicemail. Consider the tone and image you want to project. Don't worry! If you don't like your recording, you can erase it and re-record as many times as you'd like.
If you are ready to record your voicemail greeting, you should already have a solid script. Whether you include your mission statement, some fun personal details, or a favorite quote, making your voicemail greeting personal is a great way to set your business apart. Write down what you're going to say, but try to avoid reading it verbatim as you record, or it may start sounding robotic and rehearsed. When listening to your voicemail greetings your callers shouldn't feel like they're listening to an impersonal recording. Keep it conversational. If you need help achieving that conversational tone, check out these tips.
Start your voicemail with a regular cadence, but get slower and slower the longer you speak. By the time you get to your phone number, you should practically be crawling. It sounds counterintuitive -- but this tactic actually makes prospects likelier to finish listening.
7. “Hi, you’ve reached [your name] at [your company]. Sorry I missed your call. I’m especially busy today, but if you leave me your name, phone number, and a brief message, I’ll get back to you within the day. Chat soon!” Your callers want to hear from you soon. Calling back within the business day lets them know you’re reliable despite how busy you are.
Recently one of my students asked a great question about voicemail in English and I thought that you might have the same question as well.
Background noises can be picked up in voicemail recordings, and even though we may not want them to, they do subversively impact how our messages are received. Noisy backgrounds tend to trigger thoughts of a chaotic atmosphere --implying that you are disorganized or do not consider the content of your message to be important enough to be heard clearly. And if you don’t care about what you’re trying to say, why should the person on the other end of the phone?
Written by Donato Diorio @iDonato
If you find yourself wishing for your prospect not to pick up -- you might need to consider a new profession.
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The first two are voicemails for prospects you haven’t spoken with yet, the next one is for when you’re calling a prospect or client back, and the last example is for when your prospect or client isn’t calling you back at all:
Extended Away Message Example Script. Hi, you’ve reached [YOUR NAME]. I’m out of the office on extended leave until [DATE]. If you need assistance before I return, please contact my co-worker [NAME] at [PHONE NUMBER and EMAIL ADDRESS]. Otherwise, feel free to leave a message for me or call back after [DATE]. Thank you.
3. Have Some Fun. Oftentimes, your voicemail greeting is the first impression a caller gets of your personality, your brand, and your business. And as the old adage reminds us, first impressions are everything.
Practice your spiel so you can speak with authority. This lets the caller know how confident, qualified, and prepared you are. The goal is to sound like you’ve been doing this for years, not a few minutes.
Find out more about how you’ll improve with our full tailored online English Pronunciation & Fluency Courses.