Have a Normal Ring, Please!

I like music. I really do. Yet I believe business people need to be careful with the songs they choose as their ring tones. You don’t want to have a ring tone that startles others. Let me share some examples.

In the middle of an important pitch for business, Dancing Queen, a very lively and energetic song from ABBA, started playing--and kept playing. The cell phone’s owner, who was trying to sell her services, wasn’t able to find the phone as it was buried in her purse. She was embarrassed.

Hallelujah lets a man know he is receiving one of the infrequent calls from his son. His coworkers jump every time it happens.

And in the middle of a business speech, Don’t You Wish Your Girlfriend Was Hot Like Me started playing loudly from the speaker’s pocket. The man had borrowed his daughter’s phone and didn’t know her ring tone. As he frantically tried to turn off the phone, the audience laughed even more. (I know the man hadn’t chosen this ring tone, but it's too good an example not to share!)

I know people like music, I really do. So please, if my stories haven’t convinced you to use a standard ring tone, remember to put your phone on vibrate.