DJ Nyke’s Top 5 Voicemail Etiquette Best Practices

There are few things that upset me more than having to check my voicemail. And nothing ticks me off more than having to listen to said messages more than once! In the professional world, you can't be at your desk at all times. Which means at some point in time, you're going to have to check it.

So... how can I help make this process less of chore? I'm glad you asked. By following a few very simple steps, we can make this painstaking daily task a lot less time consuming.

1. Identify yourself clearly. Begin with your name and place of business.
2. Keep messages concise. Voicemail messages should be short and to the point. Upon call back, feel free to get into specifics.
3. Speak normal. Talking at a casual pace is perfect. There is no need to go too fast or too slow (see tips 1 & 2 for reference).
4.  Repeat contact phone #. This is just a courtesy. Everyone does not write at the same tempo. Repeating a phone number is the best way to make sure the intended receiver does not have to listen to messages twice.
5. Don't leave voicemails. If it can be avoided, don't leave one. Email and/or text messages are a much better alternative, especially if the situation is time sensitive.

As you can see, none of the above best practices are difficult. It all comes down to common sense and courtesy. Unfortunately, those are 2 things that seem to be lacking in the world as of late.