Yesterday, I was sent to voicemail on three phone calls in a row. That’s not unusual these days, but what I found annoyingly silly was the fact that each of the would be called had a voicemail message that said “Hi, this is so and so, I’m either on the phone or away from my desk.” – word for word identical and painfully boring.

What if you used your voicemail message to send a subtle marketing hint or at least something attention getting. Remember, half the battle for your small business is to find ways to stand out in a crowd. In all things, you’ve got to start considering how to differentiate a bit.

It’s easy to be overly cute on voicemail, but it’s also one of those little things that, like an email signature, adds to the collective impression of your brand. Why not give it some thought? And while you’re at it, why not create a set of standards for this little marketing tool that everyone in the organization uses. I know that Betty in accounting does a great Lily Tomlin impression, but you might need to suggest that she leave that to her home voicemail.

So, instead of telling me the obvious or what today’s date is, why not – This is so and so, currently I’m providing another patient with a pain-free dental experience, but . .
Or, Welcome to such and such, we’re busy creating wonderful new products . .

In the end, the little things add up to the whole big thing!

Care to share some of your favorite voicemail messages? Register to the left and comment below.