Monday, February 18, 2008

What Does Your Voicemail Greeting Say About You?

Last week, I heard a great voicemail greeting.

You may be wondering, what can be so great about a voicemail greeting? Though seemingly insignificant, a voicemail is often the first introduction a stranger has to you. I can sometimes be put off by this first contact with a potential candidate, or intrigued.

I am annoyed by greetings that are chopped off, as in " ... back. Thanks." As simple as it seems to listen to your greeting after recording it, there are people out there who don't. Sometimes greetings sound as though the person recorded it while visiting a dog pound, or on the inside of a meat grinder. I've heard greetings that sound decidedly irritated, as though the person recorded their message after a fight with their significant other, or so low-energy and miserable it's as if they'd recorded the greeting while lying flat on their back in bed with the flu.

Voicemail greetings that intrigue me are those that make me think, "This person sounds really (energetic, professional, on-the-ball). I am really looking forward to speaking to them." They are clear, easy to understand, and sound as if the person takes their voicemail seriously. It makes me hopeful of a prompt and courteous return call. There are even those in this industry who become so fanatical about returning calls, that they call back even if I don't leave a message just to make sure they didn't miss anything important.

Of course, I realize that you can't judge a person solely by their voicemail greeting. Why, it's preposterous to even think such a thing (although it would make my job a lot easier).

I hope you'll understand I am exaggerating to make my point. My point being, that your voicemail greeting is part of the total impression you make on recruiters, customers, and potential employers- people that can have a direct impact on your livelihood and future prospects.

So why was the voicemail I heard the other day so good?

After stating their name, etc, this sales person proceeded to say, "Be sure to ask me about some of the new products I heard about at our national sales meeting..." and then briefly mentioned three of them. Wow, I thought. Smart.

If you've ever read the Little Red Book of Selling by Jeffrey Gitomer, you may have encountered this idea before. This candidate had not read Gitomer's book. So much the better. A voicemail may seem so mundane, so simple, but Gitomer says that it is a greeting that people hear over and over, so why not make it work in your favor?

4 comments:

Bryan Broda said...

Lisa,

I agree that a clear and professional voice mail says something about the person.
It's crazy when professional’s (VP’s and Managers) don’t have a personal greeting or the voice mail was created in a airport or car.

I believe it is a balance of length and warmth but also professional. I am most amazed when I leave a message for a corporate recruiter and their message is poor and inaccurate. "Leave a message and I will return it as soon as I can”. They never call back.
Is it not their job to find the best salesperson- One that researched and found the right corporate recruiter and direct line?

Bryan

voicemail greetings said...

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Susan Jone said...

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Unknown said...

With the ability of remote access to most voicemail systems and to small phone systems with auto-attendant capability, you must consider hiring a professional voice that can give you the touch and feel of a much larger organization. professional voice over