Private Club Radio Show

465: Let's Talk About Voicemails w/ Denny Corby

• Denny Corby

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We break down why a short, friendly, and current voicemail can shape first impressions and speed up callbacks, especially in the club world where every touchpoint matters. Practical tips help you record a clear greeting, set expectations, and add just enough personality.

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Hey everybody, welcome to the Private Club Radio Show, where we give you the scoop on all things private golf and country clubs from mastering leadership and management, food and beverage excellence, member engagement secrets, board governance, and everything in between, all while keeping it fun and light. Whether you're a club veteran, just getting your feet wet, or somewhere in the middle, you are in the right place. I'm your host, Denny Corby. Welcome to the show. In this episode, we are talking about voicemails. You ever call someone, and all you get is after a bunch of rings, you reach the voicemail of Bob Jones. Boop. Like that's the whole vibe. No hello, no info, no personality, just Bob Jones. I know voicemails might not seem like a lot, but sometimes the small things are the big things. And voicemails, yes, voicemails, they matter. And in this episode, I'm gonna share with you some tips and tricks to have the best voicemail possible. Oh, and hey, real quick, if you are now planning your 2026 fun member events and your tournaments, and you're looking to add some fun, unique entertainment, whether that's an MC, someone who's good on the mic to help with some auction items, to help with the tournament, to help with the fundraiser at the club, or fun member event night, let's chat dennycorby.com. Hashtag shamelessplug. And I know it's 2025 and people text, people email, they send carrier pigeons, but people still call, people still leave voicemails, and you still get voicemails every day from members, from vendors, from job applicants, other club pros. People call. And when you don't answer, they get sent to your voicemail. And that may or may not be their first impression of you. And as we all know, first impressions are everything. A voicemail can say a lot or a little. Um, and if that voicemail is cold and robotic, hard to hear, not existent, well, that also sends a message to your voicemail is an extension of you, your personal brand, you yourself, and it's a quick reflection of how you do things. And I know sometimes we all don't get to control the whole voicemail in phone systems. And if it's just an automated system saying extension one, two, three. I know that's not exactly always screaming professional and approachable, but I get it if that's all you have and you have nothing that you can do about it. But most of us can and we do, and even if it's not your club phone, it's your cell phone, it still says a lot about you, your personality, and you and your brand. So, real quick, we're gonna go through some of the worst voicemails that you can have. And a lot of you have an angry sounding tone. Like it'll be boop, this is Bob Jones. Leave a message. Like, sorry to bother you, bud. Then on the other side, you have people who have a way too long of a voicemail. Hi, this is Susan, membership director, 2008 board chair, rotary club president, pickleball enthusiast, dog mom, and all right, listen, we didn't ask for the LinkedIn bio, but your voicemail should be nice, short, and sweet. If you can hear the bar, the kitchen, dishes, music, anything else in the background, you might want to redo it and change it up. Not a good look. So those are some of the things that make a bad voicemail, but let's dive into what makes a good and great and amazing voicemail. Now I'm going to dive into a couple tips and tricks to make you have the best voicemail in the club biz. Tip number one is smile when you record it and stand up. It's one of the oldest tricks in the book, and it works. People can hear a smile. It changes your tone intensity, it changes your tone instantly, and you sound more friendly, more warm, more confident, and more human. You don't have to sound like a Disney cast member. You just have to smile. Tip number two, keep it short but personal. You don't want to say, leave your name, number, time you called, and reason for calling. It's 2025. We all know what to do after the beep. Instead, you can say something like, Hey, it's Denny Corby. I'm probably in a meeting or on the road. This is my personal cell phone number, so feel free to shoot me a text if that's quicker, or shoot me an email and suit your email. And I'll get back to you within X amount of time. Bang. Boom. Quick personal help. And a couple extra tips as well. It's always good and fun to use your club name. Hey, this is Denny Corby with bogey links. You know, uh, you can drop in fun stuff that you have going on that week. So going back to the voicemails and making them a little bit more custom. Hey, we got a big member event this week. Hey, we have a big corporate event. Hey, we're running, we have our finally have the tournament come into town. So hang tight. Responses might be a little bit slower. You know, put it in, add gifts and personality. Listen, are voicemails the end of the world? No, far from it. I just talk to and chat with a lot of people and make a lot of calls. And I hear a lot of voicemails. And to me, voicemails can just mean a really big difference in how you show up in all aspects of your life. But in our world in 2025, where communication matters, this small thing can make such a big impact. So I challenge you to call your own voicemail, listen to it like you've never heard it before, and ask yourself, how does this sound? How do I sound? Is this the best version of me? This whole thing from listening to recording a new one can take less than five minutes and make a nice impact. And really, that's all it takes. That's this episode. Short, simple, and hopefully helpful. And if you know someone, whether in the club space or not, who might not have the best voicemail, feel free to forward this episode to them and let them listen. But but that's it. That's this episode. I'm your host, Annie Corby. Until next time. Catch y'all on the flippity flip.

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Denny Corby

Host