Most of us find it frustrating to play phone tag with a vendor or client, yet, it’s not always convenient to email vendors. Here are some tips for getting the most out of your voice mail communications.

Briefly

1. Leave your full name and number.
2. Leave your event date and any relevant details.
3. State the reason for your call. Be specific, but brief.
4. Leave your name and number again.

And in more detail

1. At the beginning of your message, leave your full name and number. As your vendor is listening to the message, they will have a picture of you. Should the message get cut off, they have the most critical pieces of information. And, should your vendor need to hear the number again, they do not have to wade through your entire message on a repeat listen.
2. Next, leave your event date and any relevant details, such as the reception location. This helps your vendor put your event in the forefront of their mind while they listen to your need.
3. Third, state the reason for your call. Be specific, but brief. “I have a question,” is not specific. “You mentioned [that resource for whatever] and I’d like to get that contact information from you.” Doing this enables to vendor to find that information and return it to you immediately. They might even be able to do this with another voice mail message (and eliminate phone tag altogether.)
4. Finally, at the end of your message, leave your name and number again. This is a nice convenience/courtesy to the person you are calling.