Nobody likes to play phone tag.  It’s a huge time waste.  So I want to suggest that we put an end to phone tag.  Here’s how you can do it.  First thing simplest thing, don’t let the game get started.  As soon as the person you are calling is intercepted by a secretary who says may I take a message? She is not in right now.  If you say, yes, here’s my message, the game has begun.  You don’t want to leave a message.  Ask a now question.  Is there a cell phone where I can reach her now? Is she at another extension where I can talk with her now?  Is there somebody else in that department I may talk with now?  Ask a question that has the word now in it because you mean business.   It’s not just saving your time; you also want to save their time too.  The reason for making the call in the first place after all is to exchange information.  They don’t like phone tag anymore than you do.  Ask a now question.  And if you must leave a message, set a presumptive appointment.  Don’t say please have her call me back because she is not going to.  Don’t say I will try again later.  Try again later, hold it.  Remember we talked about the three elements. It’s what you do, it’s what you think and it’s what you say.  As soon as you say, I’ll try again later, haven’t you noticed that when people say what they will try to do, you know don’t rely on them.  Don’t you be the one who says I’ll try again later.  Say what you will do.  Say I’ll call again at 2:30 this afternoon, does that look good on her calendar?  Would you prefer that I call you later or would first thing tomorrow morning be better?  Set a presumptive appointment and it is actually better that instead of leaving a message, it is better to use voice mail.  Remember you’ve got three sales to make: product or service, your company and yourself.  I am not going to entrust the secretary to accurately write down the message and convey your level of enthusiasm.  I want you to do that.  So ask for voice mail.