This document discusses professional telephone etiquette, voice mail usage, and best practices for meetings. It recommends planning phone calls in advance, keeping calls brief but polite, and avoiding phone tag. When leaving voice mail, speak slowly and clearly, and be prepared, concise, professional, and careful with confidential information. For meetings, the document suggests preparing an agenda, starting and ending on time, summarizing discussions and delegating tasks. It also provides tips for virtual meetings such as checking technology and establishing ground rules.

1. Business Communication
Adapted from NETA PowerPoint for Essentials of Business Communication by
Lisa Jamieson
Professionalism: Phones,
Voice Mail, and Meetings

2. Telephone and Voice Mail Etiquette

3. Making Calls
Before:
•Plan agenda
During:
•3-point introduction
•Brisk but cheerful
•Bring it to a close
After:
•Avoid phone tag
•Leave complete
messages

4. Leaving Voice Mail Messages
• Be prepared
• Be complete but
concise
• Be professional and
courteous
• Speak slowly and
clearly
• Be careful with
confidential information
• Don’t make
assumptions
Image source

5. Receiving Calls
•Identify yourself
•Be responsive
•Be cautious
•Take messages carefully
•Explain transfers

6. Receiving Voice Messages
• Don’t overuse
• Prepare a professional greeting
• Respond to messages promptly
• Acknowledge extended absences
Image source

7. Using Smartphones Professionally
• Location
• Time
• Volume
Image source

8. Meetings

9. Meeting Tips

10. Preparing for Meetings
• Purpose
• Location
• Participants
• Go digital
• Distribute agenda
Image source

11. Sample Agenda

12. During Meetings
• Get started
• Move along
• Handle conflict

13. Closing and Follow-Up
•End on time
•Summarize and delegate
•Ensure understanding
Image source

14. Email Meeting Minutes

15. Virtual Meetings
• Check technology and
anticipate limitations
• Establish ground rules
• Manage the meeting
• Respect needs of
disperse participants

16. Summary
• Learned about professional telephone skills and voice
mail etiquette
• Explored how to plan and participate in productive
meetings

17. References
Dewan, P. (2015). Words versus pictures: Leveraging the research on visual
communication [PDF]. Partnership: The Canadian Journal of Library and
Information Practice and Research.
The Distilled Man. (2015, August 1). 8 Tips for Running More Effective Meetings | The
Distilled Man [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/ypxH_2qdePc
Guffrey, M. E., Loewy, D., & Almonte, R. (2019). Essentials of business communication
(9th Canadian Edition). Nelson.
Jamieson, L. (2019). Chapter 9: Communicating in the digital-age workplace [PowerPoint
slides]. Nelson.

18. Image Sources
[Colourful phone and messages] [Illustration]. [n.d.]. Enginerette. https://
www.engineerette.com/professional-voicemail-greeting-guide-for-job-seekers/
[Man yelling at phone] [Illustration]. [n.d.] iStock.
https://www.istockphoto.com/illustrations/old-man-yelling
Meeting [Illustration]. [n.d.]. Vecteezy. https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/289549-
business-meeting-vectpr-illustration-with-characters
[Outlook calendar] [Illustration]. [n.d.]. Pinterest. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/
857302479059023885/
[Ringing phone and message icon] [Illustration]. [n.d.]. University of Rochester.
https://images.app.goo.gl/wa2xUCRdzrvKCh1J7