VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD!

Deirdre · Posted: Sun May 16, 2010 8:22 am Post subject: Phone Message Idear

Not everyone has a cell phone or caller ID!

When I leave a message for someone I say "Hello, this is DB Cooper— 207-251-6039." and then I leave my message. I'll say my phone number at the end, too. This saves the person who's listening the hassle of having to replay the WHOLE MESSAGE if they didn't get my number written down.

And whenever I say my number, I write it or pretend to write it as I speak each numeral. This way it's not too fast for someone to make a note of.

I can't tell you how often I hear professional VOs leaving their numbers so damned fast it takes 3 replays to get it.
_________________
DBCooperVO.com

bobsouer · Posted: Sun May 16, 2010 10:05 am Post subject:

Deirdre,

This is excellent advice. I'm trying to remember to always leave my number right after introducing myself; but I still forget sometimes. I do make a habit of repeating my phone number twice, the second time a little more slowly, when I leave my number.
_________________
Be well,
Bob Souer (just think of lemons)
The second nicest guy in voiceover.
+1-724-613-2749
ISDN, Source Connect, phone patch

Frank F · Posted: Sun May 16, 2010 10:16 am Post subject:

Great advice for everyone - not just VO's.

Thank you D. B.!

Frank F
_________________
Be thankful for the bad things in life. They opened your eyes to the good things you weren't paying attention to before. email: thevoice@usa.com

Mike Sommer · Posted: Sun May 16, 2010 11:35 am Post subject:

Yes this is excellent advice. I do this all the time. As a matter of fact I leave it a third time very slowly and clearly at the. As one with a cellphone I know that an unclear signal can mean an unclear message.

It also helps not to leave long rambling messages too- short, sweet and to the point.
_________________
The Blog:
http://voiceoveraudio.blogspot.com/

Acoustics are counter-intuitive. If one thing is certain about acoustics, it is that if anything seems obvious it is probably wrong.

Lance Blair · M&M Joined: 03 Jun 2007 Posts: 2279 Location: Atlanta

I hate it when people rattle off their numbers "great thanks...call me at 421-912-2491." Yeah...what???
_________________
Skype: globalvoiceover
and now, http://lanceblairvo.com the blog is there now too!

flaspots · Contributore Level V Joined: 14 Feb 2008 Posts: 191

Always, name and number at the front and back of the message. If I've got something details to say, I may even jot a note to myself, so I don't ramble and repeat.

SoundsGreat-Elaine Singer · Posted: Sun May 16, 2010 6:42 pm Post subject:

And you know your name - but the person you are calling may not - so please, say your name as clearly as your phone number.
_________________
Elaine
The Youthful Mature Voice (Emeritus)
Senectitude is not for the faint of heart.

Chrissy · Guest

I do the name, number, short message and name and number again at the end.
I hate the phone calls which take time with the message and then see how fast the number can be rattled off.

Bailey · Posted: Sun May 16, 2010 9:24 pm Post subject:

DB... I like the number thing.
But I find that most people under the age of 30 talk faster than I can compute.
Confused

_________________
"Bailey"
a.k.a. Jim Sutton
Retired... Every day is Saturday, except Sunday.
VO-BB Member #00044 W00T

AOVA Graduate 02/2004 ;
"Be a Voice, not an Echo." Ninja

Mandy Nelson · Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 7:34 am Post subject:

I learned that when I was pretty young and it sure helped me to sound more mature when I was leaving messages for future college recruits/employees, etc. My Dad used to make us answer our home phone using our real names so I had to say, "Saucier house, this is Miranda." I hated it but when I started to sound more like my Mom it came in handy. And to this day, even if I'm calling my Mom I say my name. It is so annoying to have people call and expect me to know who it is just from their hello. Some folks are obvious but others are not.
_________________
006 member of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Mic. Bonded by sound.

Manfillappsoc: The Mandy and Philip mutual appreciation Society. Who's in your network?

Have you seen my mic closet? ~ me to my future husband

Deirdre · Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 8:18 am Post subject:

People who call and expect you to know who they are are idiots.

What gets me is when I do ask who's calling, and the reply is petulant.
Worse: "It's Dave!" as though there's only one "Dave" I could possibly know.
Worst: "It's me!"
_________________
DBCooperVO.com

ballenberg · Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 8:30 am Post subject:

Lance's example isn't egregious enough. There's a large number of people who don't understand telephone number "rhythm" --as in 123-456-7891, so they say

4219122491 or sometimes 42 191 22491

Heaven help us.

ccpetersen · Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 10:25 am Post subject:

Oh, while we were gone last week we got a phone call from someone who identified himself as a Very Important person we needed to talk to about us doing some work with him and made sure we got the "very important:" part but then left his name and number in a blur of drunken-sounding words that sounded like "My name ish mumbletymumbleswlishgruglegrumgne, at num num num, feefffro oot num: -- call me back right away." And we go to callerID to see if we can get his number that way and he's blocked.

Sheesh.
_________________
Charter Member: Threadjackers Local 420

Deirdre · Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 10:32 am Post subject:

Apparently not THAT important.
_________________
DBCooperVO.com

Mike Sommer · Posted: Mon May 17, 2010 12:28 pm Post subject:

Indeed!

I've been know to call such fools back; if I get their voice mail I'll say "it's me, the "Very Very Important Person," and you have my number." (with my ID blocked of course)

I'll also call back solicitors if I have time, and solicit them.
_________________
The Blog:
http://voiceoveraudio.blogspot.com/

Acoustics are counter-intuitive. If one thing is certain about acoustics, it is that if anything seems obvious it is probably wrong.