You can also try leaving two voicemails. In other words, rather than leaving one 30-second message, record a 20-second voicemail -- then immediately call back and leave a 10-second one.
Pro tip: Only use first names. People of authority call each other by their first name only. Using the contact’s full name or saying Mr./Ms. [last name] can make you seem less confident and important than the person you’re calling.
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Hi, you’ve reached (name)’s answering machine. He/she is not in right now, but I’m totally open for suggestions.
But that doesn't stop some millennials like 26-year-old Nick Sirianno from feeling that voice mail is clearly a thing of the past.
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Why won’t they call me back? When you get someone’s voice mail and decide to leave a message, what steps can you take to ensure that your call will be returned? Lots.
Most cell phones show the number and voicemail duration when a call is missed. So if the recipient sees the message is from an unknown number and only a few seconds long, they'll assume it's not important and hit delete. Since the message doesn't appear to be substantive, they're not prompted to listen.
"Dear [Prospect's Name], this is [Your Name]. On [Date of Last Contact], I contacted you about [Reason for Previous Call] and as I haven’t heard from you, I can only assume you're either, one, not interested and I’m simply clogging up your voicemail with annoying spam messages; or, two, you desperately want to contact me, but you’re trapped under a fallen filing cabinet and can’t reach your phone. Please let me know which one it is. I'll gladly send help if it's the latter. Just call me back at [Your Phone Number]. Thanks for your time!"
That's where Slydial comes in. It's a service that lets a caller go directly into a mobile number's voicemail. Even better, the basic service is free, and no signup is required to use it unless you need more functionality.
If you have voicemails saved on a non-smart phone, your best bet is to record them on a computer. This is a method that requires some equipment, but not as much as you might think.
Have you noticed how I slowed down towards the end of the message? I spoke slower and clearer. This is because when the person on the other line hears your message, they will be writing down your details before calling you back. Let’s make it easy for them to call you back!
Little things like a great voicemail can really set you apart from your competition. Think about it. Would you be more inclined to want to interview someone who is shouting about how much they hate calling people back, or the person who simply asks you to leave a message? Andrea (she/her) is our head of PR at Snagajob, where she’s focused on telling the world how we help hourly workers and employers. Her first hourly job was as a lifeguard.
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Thanks for all the great advice you share on the Manners Mentor blog! Here is my situation. I hope you can help. Sometimes I’m good at leaving a voicemail that’s to the point, but most of the time I feel like I’m a babbling idiot. I never know how much information to leave. How much is too much? How much isn’t enough, especially in a professional setting? I would love to know your thoughts on this. Best wishes for a wonderful week!
24. "Thank you for calling [company]. We're closed for [holiday] from [date] until [date]. Please leave your message and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. Have a happy holiday season!"
Out of town? Your callers should know. Let them know with the following vacation voicemail greetings.
If you’re a small business owner, we recommend going with the RIY (record it yourself) route. First, it’s more affordable. Second (and more importantly), if your clients expect to work with you directly, they will expect to hear your voice when they place a phone call.