Page 3 - Business Communications

Voicemail
How to Make Sure You Get a Return Phone Call Pressing “Zero” for Assistance
• Pay attention to the outgoing message; occasionally there will be instructions • Often, a phone system will have an option to “push zero for an operator or
about how to leave messages that are important assistant”; occasionally, it is acceptable to reach the assistant to ask if the
• Some people strongly prefer being contacted via email or text and will say so individual is available to be paged; this option is usually saved for strong
in their outgoing message; you should heed this preference when possible vendor/client or colleague relationships and can be considered somewhat
• At the beginning of the message, leave your full name, the company aggressive; it should be used sparingly and only when you feel certain that
you work for, and your phone number; the information should be left your contact would not find this inappropriate
somewhat slowly and articulated clearly Following Up
• State your basic message in a concise manner, and avoid stating anything • If your voicemail message is not returned, it is acceptable to leave another
personal or private as people will often listen to their voicemail messages voicemail message, but wait a few days to do so; often, such a message
over a speakerphone might refer to the fact that you left an earlier message; however, do not be
• Keep your tone upbeat, and avoid background noise; this is especially true overly aggressive or rude but offer alternative ways (e.g., an email address)
if you are a salesperson calling a prospective client; your message should be for the recipient to get in contact with you; if this call is not returned, you
considered part of your sales process should not leave a third message unless you have a strong relationship with
• Remember that people generally only listen carefully to the first 15–20 seconds the recipient
of a message, so make sure you say something that will induce a return call Handling Your Incoming Voicemails
• Your message should not contain detailed or specific information that the • Your outgoing message should be short and clear and instruct your caller if
other party wants (such as a long order number or several phone numbers) you are out of town or inaccessible for an extended period of time
unless no other option for communication exists; this type of information is • If you receive a large number of incoming voicemails but are often in places
best saved for an email where listening to voicemails is inappropriate, consider services like SpinVox
• Tell the other party what you want him/her to do—politely; if you would like or Jott that convert voicemails to email or text messages and then send them
him/her to return the call, say so; if you intend to call back at a specific time, to you; these systems are not perfect, and many technical terms and names
say so are often misstated in the voice-to-text transfer, but they still perform a solid
• Repeat your name and phone number service for those interested

Text Message Etiquette Instant Message Etiquette
Benefits Benefits
• Texts are quick and quiet; they are perfect for sending a short message to another • Instant messaging is an excellent way to quickly communicate
party when all that is necessary (because of the nature of your relationship or the something in real time to a coworker with whom you have an
type of information required) is context-free and informal ongoing and strong relationship
• One of the main benefits of a text is that it is, by nature, brief • For example, instant messaging allows you to ask a question of a
• Texts can often be a way to communicate in “real time” with another party when coworker while you might be on the phone with a client
voice communication is not preferred Drawbacks
Drawbacks • The ability to send something to someone with no ability to “pull it
• Texts are often used inappropriately; remember that a text is basically the lowest back” can be dangerous
form of written communication; there is no greeting (usually), and there is often • A momentary impulse to insult a client or boss or to make a joke
little room for explaining the background of a comment or request or a criticism of your company might occur to you throughout the
• Texts are often seen as more personal than business in nature because of this level day but, upon reflection, is not appropriate for the workplace—
of informality and certainly not appropriate to be put in a written form; instant
• Make certain that you are not crossing any lines with clients or coworkers with messaging does not allow for this reflection, and therefore can be
humor, pictures, or links sent via text message dangerous if used improperly

Presentations
Overview • Avoid using excessive graphics, animations, and slide transitions; often,
• You should try to have “a hook” or something that will engage your audience these techniques can be distracting to your audience and detract from
and compel them to pay attention; it could be an anecdote that makes your your topic
topic more relevant or perhaps a spin on a common theme that makes it • Make sure your appearance and dress are appropriate to the forum; in general,
more interesting to the audience you should be equal to or a step up in dress from your audience when making
• Have a thesis statement that is clear, concise, and stated early in your your presentation, depending on what you are trying to project; for example,
presentation; you should repeat your thesis at the end of your presentation if you are a banker and are making a presentation to a client who generally
(in a slightly different way) dresses in business casual, you should be in a suit, as you are trying to project a
- Tell your audience what you are going to tell them professional and serious style; if, however, you are in human resources at your
- Tell them company and are presenting to a group of new hires and trying to make them
- Then tell them what you told them feel comfortable, you might wish to dress similarly to them
• Practice your delivery; this is especially crucial if you are not a strong • Consider your voice and volume level when talking; if you tend to be a quiet
and polished speaker; remember that almost everyone is uncomfortable person and are presenting in a large room, consider a small amplifier and
speaking in front of groups; strong presenters usually practice until they feel microphone; if you have a strong voice and project easily, try to provide
comfortable some distance between yourself and the front row of your audience so that
• Limit humor, especially canned jokes; they rarely go over well; a brief you do not blow them away with your volume
anecdote about the topic is more likely to generate the level of interest you Teleconferencing
seek without the probable awkwardness of a failed joke • Give the dial-in information to your recipients early and in a clear fashion; if
In-Person Presentations you have not used that particular dial-in before, you might wish to do a trial
• Make certain that your presentation is geared toward your audience; if run to make certain it works correctly
they are expecting a short, informal explanation of a topic, do not subject • You should distribute an agenda if there are several topics and/or the
them to a long dissertation audience is large; many times people will be listening to the call and sending
• If using a slide show, limit the number of slides; you want the focus of the emails concurrently because only a portion of the call will apply to them; an
room to be on you and your topic, not an ever-changing slide show agenda alerts them to topical transitions as well as when they really need to
• Limit the amount of information on each slide; nothing is more tedious to pay attention
your audience than a speaker reading each slide to them; your slide show • At the beginning of the call, state your name, the topic for the call, as well as
should be a basic outline of your topic, not a block of text your title, if appropriate

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