2:29pm
Saint Paul
Growing up we had a desktop device that would answer our home phone after 5 rings, play a prerecorded greeting, and then record whatever message the caller wanted to leave.
Voicemail, yes, but the device had a name that I can’t remember.
Anyway, once –– when I was like 8? –– my mom and I recorded a “funny” message before we left town on vacation.
It was probably snarky: “we are on vacation and you’re not!” or something ridiculous. I don’t remember.
And we came back to recordings of unhappy people who did not find our greeting funny at all.
I find a few lessons in that story:
First, what one person finds funny, others might find dumb or even offensive #marketresearch. That doesn’t automatically make them right… but they may have been in this situation.
And second, even if you’re not immediately available, you can still get a message out to those who want to hear from you.
I’m writing about this because we’re traveling soon and I am brainstorming what my out-of-the-office email auto-responder might read.
More than, “I’m out of the office, contact *|FNAME|* if you need immediate help.”
Or maybe I’ll just leave it alone, respond when I return.
No sense in being needy.