4 Ways Your Voicemails Hurt Your Business

Like any other communication, voicemails reflect on you and your business. What kind of message are you leaving after the tone? Avoid these mistakes when recording a professional voicemail.

Recording Without Planning

Think through what you’ll say. You could even practice your message or write it out beforehand. Getting it right the first time matters; you may not have the option to rerecord it. Planning will also cut down on hesitation and filler noises—both of which make you sound unpolished.

Also, speaking off-the-cuff could lead to you accidentally saying something incorrect or unprofessional, such as sharing a personal opinion when you should share an unbiased resource.

Rambling On and On and On

A good voicemail should answer the questions who called and why. Say who you are, clearly state your number—don’t assume everyone has caller ID—and then leave a brief message.

Your message should explain what you would like to discuss. You could add how urgently you need a reply. But that’s about it. A voicemail should be more like a text message or email and less like a monologue. No one wants to sit through a 5-minute voicemail.

Letting Emotions Show Through

You want to sound poised and professional when you leave a message. The person listening to the message will hear if you are stressed, angry, tired, or distracted. It’s a good idea to wait until you can compose yourself before leaving a message.

Unnecessary Voicemails

Do you really need to leave a voicemail at all? Nowadays many clients dislike voicemails and do not check them regularly. You may get receive a slower response unless your client or prospect is expecting your call and message. Consider if there is a more effective way to reach the person.

Source: Texas REALTORS®