Hello…1876 Called and Wants Its Phone Greeting Back

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I’m sure it was quite the hullabaloo back in the day as Thomas Edison and Alexander Bell argued the best way to answer the newly invented telephone. To think we were just one creative ad campaign away from answering the phone as, “Ahoy!”, a nautical term Bell petitioned for. 

Alas, “Hello?” won the day and Thomas Edison had yet another big win to brag about. 

For 150 years people have been answering the phone the same way. 

Might it be time for a change? I think so. Especially for business owners like you and me. I am surprised at the number of notaries we call for jobs that still answer the phone with a simple hello. Nevermind that they’re using a greeting that has celebrated its centennial, but when I hear it I immediately wonder if I’ve dialed the right number. 

• Did I just call a professional business? 
• Can this person actually help me? 

I’d rather hear a hearty, “Ahoy!” than the typical hello. In a sea of sameness, stand out a bit. I love the way that “Homicide Hunter’s” Joe Kenda answers his phone: “Go for Kenda.” 

We’re at a technological age when we can cut the traditional, time wasting jargon, and get right to the relationship. If we already know the person calling, they’re likely programmed in our phone, so their name appears when they call. “Hey Cindy! I was just thinking about you,” is a far better way to answer her call than just, “Hello?”... Like it’s some sort of surprise Cindy is calling. Her name popped up. Don’t play coy. Jump right into the conversation. 

For your business line, if you insist on using the word hello, don’t stop there. Keep going! “Hello, this Eric,” or Hello, Fast & Easy Mobile Notary, this Eric, how can I help you?”

For me, I prefer to answer the phone with “Hi, this is Bill,” or “good morning, this is Bill.” This sounds professional no matter which company or service they’re calling for.

You don’t have to go all crazy answering the phone like the girls of Tri-Delta: “Delta, Delta, Delta, can I help ya, help ya, help ya?”, but using a simple “Hello?” doesn’t make anyone rich but Adele and Lionel Richie. You’re missing an opportunity to make a first impression that helps you stand out and connect with your prospect on a deeper level.

Bill Soroka is the founder of Notary Business Builder, an elite community of professional Notary entrepreneurs that are committed to building a successful business in any economy by leveraging authentic sharing technology and cultivating deeper relationships.