Have you taken the time to update your outgoing voicemail message? Recently? Ever?

If you are an entrepreneur most likely the number people are calling to get ahold of you is your cell phone. In the past we may have thought that the only people calling our cell would be people that we know already. Today, we publish our cell phone numbers on our cards, flyers, websites, and our connections are also passing it on. If you are an entrepreneur, a sales rep for a large company, or one of the people representing a large corporation, chances are your cell phone message is one of the first points of contact you will have with someone calling you, whether they already know you or not.

What are some of those things your message might say? The basic phone number and automated voice saying you are not available? Your voice saying the standard greeting that you are not available? Your schedule for this week? Or a long message that takes 3 minutes just to listen to?

What are some of your favorite messages that you have heard, and that you have tried? What are some of your least favorite?

I challenge you today. Listen to your message. Record a new one. Make it just a little bit about the caller on the other end of the line and see what kind of response you get. It may be a slight change, but sometimes giving thought to the smallest can make the biggest difference.

What does your message convey to the world?

(Thanks Jen McClure for allowing me to capture this moment!)