Voicemail: speak clearly, especially when leaving your phone number

Many people complain to me that their voicemail messages are never returned. Of course there can be many reasons for this, but sometimes it’s because the caller mumbled or rushed through the phone number, so the receiver didn’t know how to call back!

Always leave your telephone number at the end of a business message. You may think you don’t need to, because the person you are calling knows your number. Perhaps. But they also know hundreds of others, and they may not have yours at the top of their mind! Make it easy, and leave your number.

Because we all know our own telephone numbers and we say them aloud many times every day, there’s a temptation to rush through them. If I have to repeatedly replay your message while sticking my finger in my other ear just to try to understand your number, I’m not going to be happy. If I do call you, I won’t be pleased with all the trouble you put me to and I may not be receptive to what you have to say. Or, I just may not return your call at all.

Here’s a tip to help you avoid this problem. As you say your telephone number into the telephone, write it in the air with your finger, or even on a paper in front of you. If you take the time to write it, obviously the other person will also have time to write it. Slowing down automatically makes the words clearer.

In my next post I’ll give you other tips to make it more likely that others will return your voicemail messages.