This is the sixth—sixth—time you are rewinding your voicemail to try to make out this woman’s name, and darn if you aren’t getting any closer. Did she say Kelly or Callie . . . Carrie? Judging from the gouges in your notepad, you may be getting farther away. I don’t leave messages like these, do I? you think. Just in case, you resolve to over-enunciate every syllable of your name in every voicemail hereafter. You shouldn’t have to call back with a tentative, “Um, hi,” or the always popular, “Someone left me a message but I couldn’t make out the name.” That would just be uncomfortable. Great, now you’re anxious and it’s all her fault. If her name is so easy to confuse, why doesn’t she speak it clearly? Does she want to embarrass people?

And that’s how a 20-second voicemail turns into a 5-minute battle that ruins someone’s professional image. And this is where we tell you about the common courtesies that come with leaving a voicemail, and how those courtesies can help you send the right message about yourself.

Leave clear and professional voicemails by:

• Keeping it brief. If the message machine thanks you for your call mid-sentence, you have said too much. Effective voicemail is a direct and informative way to touch base, provide a quick answer, or to invite further conversation. It is not the place to detail your six-pronged strategy for reducing expenses. Whether too droning or too detailed, a long message risks losing the listener to the real intent of your message. And if you bury what you want, the recipient won’t prioritize it either. Keep your message clear and concise, with organized thoughts that respect your recipient’s time.
• Talking slowly and steadily. Voicemail lacks the pacing of a give-and-take conversation, so it’s easy to spit out your thoughts in a sudden torrent. Your voice might even waver if you are nervous. These are especially true if you are leaving a message for your boss or an important client, and unfortunately, a speedy or wavering voice will not send a positive message about your professionalism. So think about what you’ll say before you call, and make a conscious effort to slow down your speech. You might feel like the tortoise in the race, but chances are you’re speaking at an easy-to-follow, conversational pace.
• Speaking loudly enough. The key to volume is to strike a balance: you don’t want the listener holding the phone a foot from their ear, nor do you want them sticking a finger in the other ear to hear you better. Too loud, and you come off as abrasive or demanding. Too soft, and you come off as timid or unconfident. And be careful where you’re calling from; it can be tough to pick the words out of freeway or coworker noise. This is especially true of the dreaded “you sound like you fell in a well” speaker phone.
• Listening to your message before sending. Many cell phones and office messaging machines let you replay your voicemail before you send it. This is a valuable tool for important messages. So take a second to listen to your masterpiece. Are you babbling? Talking too fast or too loud? Sounding like you just want to go home and watch The Voice? If your message doesn’t come across as intended, you can erase it and try again.

And there you have it—the how-to guide to leaving effective voicemails that improve your professionalism. Next time you leave a voicemail, just think about the public service you’re doing: saving your listeners from frustration and despair, and saving their rewind buttons from an early, sticky-key demise. Your listeners and their phones thank you for your courtesy.