Phone calls start with good form and good manners and lead to giving the person on the other end of the message a meaningful reason to respond.

Who are you? Always start your message by identifying yourself in the greeting. “Hi. This is Jo Jones with ABC Realty.” It’s pleasant, direct, and lets them know who you are.

Who do you want to speak with? “I’m calling for Pat Nguyen with a disclosure question about the 123 Main St listing.” Stating who you are trying to reach and what you’re calling about, briefly, respects your recipients time.

What do you want them to do? “Please call me back at 415-555-1212 after 4 pm or email me at jo jones at example dot com.” Give them your callback information, don’t just trust their caller ID.

Recap. Finally, tell them what you told them, “Again, this is Jo Jones of ABC Realty for Pat Nguyen calling about the disclosures for 123 Main St.”

ABC: Always Be Closing. And end politely with a call to action “I look forward to speaking with you soon!”