Casual Articles - Business

Where is Silicon Valley's A-Team?
I once worked on a company funded by Pierre Lamond, veteran Venture Capitalist at Sequoia Capital. During the interview, Pierre asked me, “How old is your father? What does he do? Is he retired?” I explained, that my father (in his sixties) is an entrepreneur, and will never retire, because he still has too many things that he wants to accomplish, and that he will die trying to get through as many of them as possible, and not run out of things to try. Pierre nodded and said, “I don’t understand 50-year old executives who want to play Golf all day.”I had another conversation with Jim Hogan of Telos Venture Partners over lunch one day on the same subject. Jim said, “You know, when a man is successful, has made money, what he is looking for is his Legacy.”If you look around Silicon Valley today, there are lots of executives and entrepreneurs who have been successful, made money, and are “waiting in the sidelines” looking for the right next opportunity. VCs and Executiv

a message and IF you tell me your favorite cereal, I promise to call you back! Thanks, and we’ll talk soon.”

Now, I’m not exactly sure what prompted me to record voicemail message about cereal. But to my surprise, my callers’ responses underwent a complete transformation in regard to their level of engagement.

Some people told me about their favorite cereals, others discussed breakfast as a whole. Some callers said they didn’t care for cereal, while others reminisced about childhood memories of delicious breakfast treats that were longer on the market.

It’s amazing how people open up when they are asked a question that is a) open ended, b) fun and c) universally easy to answer. What’s more, once personal preferences are revealed via self disclosure – trust, rapport and common points of interest will develop in the relationship. Not to mention, it’s easy to leverage their message as a great ice breaker when you return their call! A Look At Architectural Engineering
Anyone who is skilled in planning, production and operation of building may have the talent to find a successful career in architectural engineering. An architectural engineer is responsible for designing and planning the interior workings and foundation of a home or building. Architectural engineers are responsible for overseeing plans and blueprints for everything from towering city buildings and bridges to small country homes and luxurious mansions. A successful engineer must be versatile and creative while maintaining respect for local building regulations and codes.There are a number of jobs available in the world of architectural engineering, including self employment. A qualified individual may produce a home or building blueprint, which consists of both interior and exterior elevations, foundation and floor plans, roof details, electrical layouts, cross sections and other general instructions.In order to find a career in architectural engineering, an ind

This is an example of a typical outgoing message that makes callers feel like they really are talking to a machine. Now, we’ve all heard this cookie cutter message about a zillion times, but honestly – it hurts me more with every call.

This doesn’t make a voicemail message bad. It simply means that the voicemail is not totally leveraged. So, for the sake of your callers and my ears, I want to share six techniques that will transform boring, robotic voicemail into an engaging, fun and personable medium of communication.

Noise
Have you ever left a message on someone’s voicemail who obviously recorded their greeting in a car?

“Hi you’ve reached the voicemail of Sandra…HONK! I’m away from my…LOOK OUT LADY! …right now, but I’ll call you back when I …SCREEECH! … my office. Thanks.”

Messages like these will make your callers feel unimportant. Messages like these will show your callers that you don’t care enough about them to spend 10 minutes recording a clear message. Therefore, the first rule of transforming your voicemail is: get rid of the noise.

When you go into your office or home - shut the doors, turn the music and TV off, and record your message in absolute silence. Remember, your voicemail is a medium of communication – and any noise that comes between two individuals is considered a barrier. Even over the phone.

Differentiation
Now that you’ve locked yourself in the closet with your phone, it’s time to figure out what you’re going to say. What’s more, how you’re going to say it. So think of your business cards, website, letterhead and promotional materials: what makes you stand out? Is it the slogan? The phrases? The company name?

Unfortunately when it comes to voicemail, people just seem to go through the motions. They throw some generic message together and it stands out like a needle in a stack of needles. But keep this in mind: everyone has a voicemail. Everyone. So what are you going to record that will allow your callers differentiate you from all those other “I’m away from my desk” people out there?

Great example: I used to sell furniture at a family-owned liquidation warehouse. Every week, the owner would rerecord a new voicemail with one or two items that were an amazing deal. She did this so her customers - even without walking into the store - knew their prices were the lowest.

Fun
I’ve always wondered why voicemail messages can’t be fun. In search of an answer I recently consulted my Sprint PCS handbook. I found the following passage under the section “How to Record Your Outgoing Message”:

“When recording outgoing voicemail message, remember to sound as unfriendly, boring and bland as possible. This will guarantee maximum robotic presence in the minds of your callers.”

I have a friend whose greeting says, “Hey this is Jeffery. Leave me your 16 digit American Express Card number and I’ll get back to you soon. Thanks!” Believe it or not – at least three people a day actually leave their credit card numbers for him! In fact, the first time I called him I gave him my card number too! Guess that explains the $2,000 bill on my statement.

The advantage to a message like this: it shows your true colors. And people love that. So, unless you actually are a robot – in which case I’d love to meet you - don’t sound like one. Sound like you. People like and want you.

Engagement
If you call either of my phone lines, this is what you’ll hear:

“Hello, my name is Scott – and you have reached Front Porch Productions. Sorry I missed you; but leave me a message and IF you tell me your favorite cereal, I promise to call you back! Thanks, and we’ll talk soon.”

It’s amazing how people open up when they are asked a question that is a) open ended, b) fun and c) universally easy to answer. What’s more, once personal preferences are revealed via self disclosure – trust, rapport and common points of interest will develop in the relationship. Not to mention, it’s easy to leverage their message as a great ice breaker when you return their call! Top 5 Reasons You Need a Logo
The Nike Swoosh, the McDonald's arches, the Apple. When you see these logos, instantly you identify the business behind them. You associate all of the feelings, attitudes, and experiences you have with these companies to whatever product carries the logo.These big companies spend thousands of dollars developing these logos because they are so valuable to their business. Your business probably does not have that sort of budget. But, the Internet has made it easier to find talented artists who can create a custom logo for you at very low prices. No more scavenging for cheap talent at your local art school and hoping they understand your business needs.Top 5 Reasons to Get a Logo for Your BusinessLook Bigger - One of the things that distinguishes big companies from small ones is that the big ones spend more time and energy packaging their business. Their business cards, letterhead, envelopes, and websites all carry a unified look. The fanks.”

“When recording outgoing voicemail message, remember to sound as unfriendly, boring and bland as possible. This will guarantee maximum robotic presence in the minds of your callers.”

Engagement
If you call either of my phone lines, this is what you’ll hear:

It’s amazing how people open up when they are asked a question that is a) open ended, b) fun and c) universally easy to answer. What’s more, once personal preferences are revealed via self disclosure – trust, rapport and common points of interest will develop in the relationship. Not to mention, it’s easy to leverage their message as a great ice breaker when you return their call! Efficient, Effective Meetings
Introduction Most professionals report spending between 15% and 30% of their time in meetings. How about yourself - do you know the inside of the conference rooms better than you know your office? And of the time that you spend in the meetings, how much of it is really valuable to you, and how much does it cost? Consider a typical status meeting consisting of one Vice President who earns $100,000 per year, and six Directors who earn $75,000. If the meeting runs for one hour, it costs the company about $1500 in fully loaded personnel costs. If the group meets once per week, the status meeting costs the company $75,000 per year - or the cost of one Director’s salary.Kinds of Meetings Think for a moment about the different kinds of meetings that you go to. Here are a few of the common ones: Informational Meetings Status meetings, project meetings, and quarterly division meetings all fall into this category - the purposees to voicemail, people just seem to go through the motions. They throw some generic message together and it stands out like a needle in a stack of needles. But keep this in mind: everyone has a voicemail. Everyone. So what are you going to record that will allow your callers differentiate you from all those other “I’m away from my desk” people out there?

“When recording outgoing voicemail message, remember to sound as unfriendly, boring and bland as possible. This will guarantee maximum robotic presence in the minds of your callers.”

Engagement
If you call either of my phone lines, this is what you’ll hear:

It’s amazing how people open up when they are asked a question that is a) open ended, b) fun and c) universally easy to answer. What’s more, once personal preferences are revealed via self disclosure – trust, rapport and common points of interest will develop in the relationship. Not to mention, it’s easy to leverage their message as a great ice breaker when you return their call! Cash Flow - How Big Is Yours?
How’s your cash flow? I might just as well have asked a woman her age. Joe Dominguez, author of “Your Money or Your Life” says that the most embarrassing question is “How big is yours?” Your paycheck, that is.I was once sitting in a coffee shop with my friend, Jade. She had just introduced me to Phil, a friend of hers who she was doing some business with. Phil and I got to talking and discovered that we had both experienced some similar childhood traumas. We got into a very personal discussion about our healing.When we were finished, Phil looked at Jade and said, “Let’s go somewhere more private to discuss our business.” Their financial discussion was more personal to him than our very personal histories. Isn’t that interesting?Most of us barely know where our cash goes. We barely admit that our spending is mostly an emotional decision that we have rarely thought through carefully. Try keeping track of everything you spend for one week. If you’re brave, do iunfriendly, boring and bland as possible. This will guarantee maximum robotic presence in the minds of your callers.”

Engagement
If you call either of my phone lines, this is what you’ll hear:

It’s amazing how people open up when they are asked a question that is a) open ended, b) fun and c) universally easy to answer. What’s more, once personal preferences are revealed via self disclosure – trust, rapport and common points of interest will develop in the relationship. Not to mention, it’s easy to leverage their message as a great ice breaker when you return their call! Iran's Stand On Nuclear Weapons Affects International Trade
The price of crude oil and petroleum products reached a high in the international market last August 21st after Iran announced that it is continuing efforts to enrich uranium. Iran's statement and actions are direct contradictions to a United Nation resolution which bans uranium enrichment. As a mineral, uranium is an essential component of nuclear devices and weapons of mass destruction. Through its actions, the Iranian government risks possibly severe economic sanctions. However, the repercussions of Iran's action are felt in the global market as the prices of manufactured goods went higher.The administration-supported Iranian Students News Agency reported that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's leader, ruled out propositions to suspend nuclear activities. In response, the UN allowed Iran a two-week allowance to suspend the program in exchange for incentive offers. If Iran does not submit by August's end, the UN will undoubtedly resort to its international powers to stop Iraa message and IF you tell me your favorite cereal, I promise to call you back! Thanks, and we’ll talk soon.”

Smile
Now that you’re ready to rerecord your voicemail, there’s only one thing left to do: smile. I know, it sounds so simple. So clich?. So Dale Carnegie. But say the following sentence aloud: “I’ll get back with you in 24 hours.”

Ok, now…say the following sentence WITH A SMILE: “I’ll get back with you in 24 hours!”

And will that make your callers actually feel your smile through the phone? You better believe it.

There are two reasons to record your outgoing message with a smile. First, it will sound like you actually took the time to record your message instead of quickly spurting out a few words on the drive home from work. What’s more, people will sense that you do care about their call.

Secondly, you never know who’s going to call for the first time. Imagine getting a phone call from a new referral that has potential to stimulate a lot of business. She leaves a message and awaits your follow up. Now, odds are if you met them for the first time in person, you’d be smiling so much your ears would get crowded. Likewise, if your voicemail is the first time they hear your voice, speaking your smile is a great way to make a first impression. Even if you’re not there!

Your voicemail is a tool that has fantastic conversational potential. Just because you have a voicemail doesn’t mean you can’t make people feel like they’re talking to you. By recording a friendly, engaging and memorable message, you will literally be able to hear the smile in your callers’ voices.

Continuity
You might be the greatest conversationalist in the world, the most talented salesman or the friendliest volunteer in your organization. But if your voicemail sounds like its own unfriendly, unrelated entity, it’s like missing a piece to an important puzzle.

Here’s another way to look at it. Let’s say your organization has a marketing plan that includes billboards, brochures, newspaper ads and flyers. Now, what happens if the brochure uses different colors and slogans than the other three outlets? Bingo. It diminishes the consistency between mediums.

EXTENSION…of your personality. Use words, phrases and vocal tones that make your phone come alive with individuality.

REPRESENTATION…of your organization. Briefly mention your slogan, service or a new way you can help people.

Results
When you rerecord a voicemail that is different, fun, engaging, friendly and consistent with you or your business’s personality, here’s what will happen:

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Casual Articles - How to Transform Your Voicemail into an Effective Medium of Communication

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