Remember when answering machines were a fancy new piece of technology? While many of us no longer use the machine with the blinking light and the tiny cassette tape, we still rely on voice mail as a critical business and personal communication tool.

But how often do we take the time to focus on the greeting people hear when they call us? Particularly in business, our voice mail greeting might very well be our chance at a first impression with a possible client or interested investor.

Here are some tips for creating a good voice mail greeting:

• Be sure to include your name as well as your organization and department or title.
• Offer an option for immediate assistance, such as pressing 0 for the operator or offer the name and extension of a colleague in your department.
• Depending on your job (for example if you are a PR person whom journalists need to reach quickly) and whether you are out of the office a great deal, you may want to leave a cell phone number or e-mail address. Be sure to speak clearly and spell out the e-mail address.
• If you will be out of the office for an extended period of time (two-week vacation, maternity leave), be sure to indicate you won’t be in the office for a period of time and provide the name and number of a colleague who can be of assistance.
• Don’t apologize for missing the call. Give the message a positive a spin and simply state you’re out of the office, away from your desk , etc. and will be happy to return the call.
• Avoid the impersonal, automated message that sounds like a robot (“You’ve reached the voicemail for 555-5678. Please leave a message.). You leave the caller guessing whether they actually are leaving a message for the correct person.
• Be upbeat. Yes, it’s a little awkward to record a voice mail greeting, especially when your co-workers are staring at you and you know you hate the sound of your voice when you listen to the playback. But that doesn’t mean you can’t start your recording with an upbeat “hello” or end with a cheerful “thanks for calling.”
• Get physical – stand up and smile. Customer service employees are often trained to smile when they answer the phone because it conveys a cheerful, helpful tone. Standing up while recording your message also helps.
• Keep is short. No one wants to listen t your life story on a voice mail greeting, especially if happen to call you on a regular basis.

Sample greeting:  Hi! This is Jane Smith, vice president of sales for ACME Corp. Please leave your name, number and the reason for your call and I’ll return your call. If this is an urgent matter, please call me on my cell phone at 555-555-7890. Thank you and have a nice day!

Next post: Tips for leaving a voice mail message (hint: speak c-l-e-a-r-l-y).