Creative Reaction

Really, you should think before any form of communication, as to whether it’s the best way to convey your message, though Voice Mail has its own particular challenges. Increasingly, many people are avoiding it altogether, especially in corporate settings, as Michael Arrington explains in Think Before You Voicemail. In fact, he declares it DEAD. (Definitely worth reading.)

The biggest issues are Voice Mail’s “linear” nature (unless your have an iPhone) and that it is simply not part of most people’s workflows - it’s easy for Voice Mail messages to fall though the cracks.

A while back, I found some tips on how to leave a perfect Voice Mail message:

1. State your name & company.

2. State your phone number s-l-o-w-l-y.

3. State the date & time (& time zone if different).

4. Make your point across in one sentence.

5. Indicate if the call needs to be returned. If it’s an FYI, say so.

6. Explain when you are available for a callback.

7. Phone number s-l-o-w-l-y again.

8. Consider leaving your e-mail address. If you do, spell it slowly, especially if it does not contain your name.

Considering all the necessary information needed to make Voice Mail work, you’ll have to weigh its efficiency, or lack thereof, for yourself. Most of this information is built into or is simply unnecessary if you instead choose to use e-mail.

In September ‘07 I blogged about which technology is best for various communication needs, which linked to this excellent article. Perhaps today is a good time to review it.

An article in RainToday, primarily written for consultants, has an interesting article entitled, The Death of the Business Phone Call, which explains the many the pitfalls of e-mail.

In a few sentences, “If your goal is to communicate clearly and efficiently with prospects and clients, relying too heavily on email can easily lead your digital conversation into the weeds. Even if someone emails you first, often the best way to respond is by picking up the phone.”

So, before you click on “Reply”, think, “what is the best way to respond to this?”. 

“Rarely does any dialogue end with the prospect’s question and my answer. The response to any query is usually followed by a clarifying question or two of my own, which can make email cumbersome. The most effective way to accomplish ongoing dialogue is via live conversation – the kind where lips move.”

Priority Magazine (a Pitney Bowes publication) published an excellent article on various forms of office communication, the advantages and disadvantages of each, and how to make the most of each - though they never posted it online. And as we know, if something is not online, it may as well not exist. I finally tracked it down online here at this other site. It covers e-mail, meetings, phone calls, and Instant Messaging. It is, quite simply, the BEST article I’ve seen on the topic and I strongly recommend printing it, reading it, and implementing its advice.