Better Business
Communication Day
January 23, 2006
CORSPAN, The Corporate Speech Pathology Network, is sponsoring Better Business Communication Day, January 23, 2006.
In honor of this they have provided the following article to assist with communication at the workplace. For more tips like these visit their website or contact Deb at Clearspeak.
Ten Techniques to Transform Your Voicemail Message from a Liability to an Asset
1. Leaving a voicemail message is a form of public speaking. Therefore, its advisable to prepare what you want to convey by focusing on your objective.
2. Before you place your call, have a specific person in mind whom you wish to contact and be sure you know the person's title and the correct pronunciation of the person's name.
3. Try to visualize the person you're calling in your mind's eye to help sharpen your message.
4. Begin your message with a personalized touch by using the person's name.
5. Identify yourself by stating your first and last name, speaking slowly and distinctly. Get into the habit of using word associations to spell out your name, like this, "This is Deb Kowalczyk. That's D, as in David, e, b. My last name is Kowalczyk. It's not spelled the way it sounds so I'll spell it out for you."
6. Succinctly state the purpose of your call and avoid extraneous detail.
7. Ensure you provide a "call to action." This lets the receiver of the call know what should happen next.
8. State your phone number slowly and then repeat it a second time. This allows the other person the opportunity to write it down.
9. Try standing up the next time you leave a message for someone. This will help you come across as more energetic.
10. Now go back and evaluate your own voicemail message. Listen closely to what incoming callers hear when they call you. See what you can do to improve how you come across. Is your message conveying what you had in mind?