How many times have you picked up the phone to call a business and their voicemail is so bad that you are absolutely not inspired to leave a message? Furthermore, you don’t end up using their services. This is a perfect example of why a voicemail is so important. So, what I’d like to do today is share with you how to fix your voicemail.
Why Voicemail is So Important
I’m Elisa James, the voice mastery mentor. As a voice and presentation coach, I help business owners and entrepreneurs get out there, so they reach the world with a bigger, stronger, more powerful and confident message. The beauty is, we can do that simply.
The first point of call for many businesses is when somebody picks up the phone and you don’t answer, so they have to listen to your voicemail.
So, how does your voicemail represent your business right now? I can tell you a little story to show the impact. I really needed a mechanic who I could trust with my nice car. After all, it had been looked after very well and my usual mechanic wasn’t available. I needed something fixed fast. So, here was I looking through Google, trying to figure out who I was going to call. The person who picks up from the very first number I call answers in a mumbling voice which meant I didn’t understand to whom I was speaking. I didn’t even catch the name of the business. More importantly, I didn’t even understand whether I’d actually called the right person or not. Of course, I could leave a voicemail for him. But as you can imagine, I wasn’t really clear if I was even speaking to the right person! So, I just hung up.
When I called the second person, he actually answered the phone. Unfortunately, this time he answered with, “Hello”. It’s like he didn’t care. He certainly didn’t have a little speech like, “Hello, this is Elisa James, how can I help you?”, or something like that.
When you answer the phone or you have a voicemail, you have to be specific about what you do and what you’re offering people. Please have a good voicemail that represents you in whatever it is that you do, says a little bit about your business and how you would like them to leave a message so you can contact them best. Your voicemail is so important for your business. It represents you. It represents your brand, and it’s going to be a really good measure of your reputation in your business.
How to Redo Your Voicemail
So, if you have a voicemail that is letting you down, it is time to redo your voicemail. Here’s what you’re going to do.
1. Write a Little Script
The #1 step is to write a little script. You’re going to figure out what it is that you want to say and how you want to come across. What is your brand? Is it really friendly? Is it service oriented? Is it get it done, straight to the point? What is the brand of your business that you want to come across in your voicemail? Write down a little mini script that will help you stay on track.
2. Determine the Energy of Your Voicemail
Step #2 is fun. I want you to think about what energy you’re going to give to your voice mail. Again, what sort of energy would suit your brand? Are you a fitness instructor? Does it need to be really super pumped? “Leave a message and I’ll get back to you in the next 10 minutes after I’ve finished doing this 10-mile run!” What is it you want to bring energy-wise, so the client is left with a little feeling about the energy of your business. You want the client to understand the intention you bring as a business owner to your brand.
3. How will the Customer Leave a Message?
Step #3 is how you want your customer to actually leave a message for you. Because if you don’t really care about it, you can be a little bit nondescript. I definitely want to hear from my customers. So, here’s what I might say as a voice coach.
Remember, I want to hear people’s number super clear, in case something happens with the recall system on your phone. I want to hear the number. I want to hear their name. So, you might state something simple like, “Please leave your name and number after the beep and I will get back to you as soon as possible.”
Voicemail Tips to Remember
Now, remember when you’re saying your voicemail, you’re bringing good energy to the voicemail. You’re bringing your branding to the voicemail. You’re bringing the intention and energy of the business to the voicemail. You want to clearly tell our clients how to leave their message so you can call them back as soon as you can. Be sure to do this with a slight smile on your face when you’re recording. It might feel a little silly at the time, walking around, practicing your voicemail from your script while you’re smiling. But I tell you what, when you smile and speak the energy increases in your voice and it sounds clearer and much easier to understand. It will sound very intentional and mindful.
I want you to fix your voicemail because it will bring you more business. And every time somebody calls you, they’re going to be impressed rather than disappointed.