Small Business Blog

Business voicemail etiquette guidelines to follow, when recording or leaving a voicemail on someone’s machine.
1.After the message plays, give a 1-2 second pause before speaking.
2.State your name, organization or business’s name and your specific department, if any, and telephone number. Do so clearly and slowly.
3.State the date and time of your call.
4.In a few words, describe your reason for calling. Keep your recording brief and to the point. Do not ramble.
5.If necessary, leave the best time, for the person to call you back, or mention, that you will be available at any time.
6.At the end of the message, repeat your name and phone number, slowly.
Example:
“Hello, this is Ellen Myers, from XYZ Wireless Ltd, Accounts department. My phone no is 810-203-2232. This call is with reference, to your leave application for the 5th of April, 2011. There are a few minor details to be discussed. Please call me back on receiving this message, on my extension 810-203-2232. Have a nice day”.

Do’s and Don’ts of leaving a message:
•If you are calling someone for the first time or it’s a really important call, write down what you are going to say. Do not go “umm” and “ahh..” on the message.
•Be specific and brief in stating your purpose.
•When calling someone you have never met or don’t know, mention a mutual acquaintance or colleague if any, to bridge the gap.
•Cover all grounds, leave alternate or home phone nos and even email addresses, so you don’t’ miss a reply to your message.
•Avoid slang, personal references and casual language.
•Don’t be stiff and detached sounding, be pleasant, with a clear tone.
•Do not exhale into the phone, as it can be heard on the recording.
How to Record a Professional Outgoing Voicemail Message

Some business voicemail greeting etiquette rules, to record the perfect message for your voicemail inbox.

1. State your name, department, organization and extension or telephone number.
“Hi, this is Barney Mosby with the HR department of Kringle Electronics, at 820-233-1234″.

2. State that you are not available or at your desk, and other relevant information.
“I’m currently not at my desk”. Read the rest of this entry »

     This seems to be a new marketing strategy…

     Developing a small business is not an easy task. There are many small business owners who spent years developing their business. Developing a business plan and finding business financing alone can take a large amount of time and it can cause a large amount of stress. Since a lot of work goes into getting a small business developed there are many business owners who would do anything to make their business a success.

     Different business owners measure success in different ways, but one common way that it is measured is by the satisfaction of clients. This satisfaction is not only obtained by offering quality products or services, but it is also obtained by just being available. A small business that specializes is services offered to other individuals need to be available more often than most other business owners.

     Even small business owners have a life outside of their business; therefore, they often need to find a way that allows their clients to get in contact with them. The easiest way to allow your clients to have constant contact with you is by giving them your personal phone number; however, many business owners would prefer not to do that. Instead many small business owners use a voicemail service. Read the rest of this entry »