Voice mail is your representative when you are not there to answer.  It should be concise, to the point, and professional.  Here are some tips to make sure your representative makes you look intelligent:

1)  Write out your new message before recording.  Even if it’s a vacation greeting. Not only will you save yourself time, it will sound better to the caller.

2)  Go to a room where there is no background noise and only use the handset.  Wireless headsets are cool for everyday use, but you don’t want the slightest crackle in your recording.

3)  Hold the handset a little further away from your mouth than normal.  It will still pick up your voice and you will not have loud noises when pronouncing certain words.

4) When it begins recording, try not to breathe into the phone or take a deep breath right before or during speaking.  Holding the mouth piece right below the chin can also help prevent heaving breathing on your recording, but some phones will not pickup your voice as well.

5) Wait half a second before speaking after the beep notifying you to start recording.  When finished, wait until a count of 2 before stopping the recording.

These tips will help the recording sound much better and while it is unlikely anyone will nominate you for an award, they will not think to themselves, “I hope he changes that message soon.”