What Is a Voicemail Greeting?Why Is a Profressional Voicemail Greeting Important?Key Tips When Recording Your Voicemail GreetingSpeak ClearlyKeep Your Message Short and Concise (10–30 Seconds)Speak Slowly and Do Not RushSmile as You TalkReassure the Caller They Have Reached the Right PersonThank the Caller and Apologize for Missing the CallInclude an Alternative Contact if AppropriatePractice and Record Multiple Takes of Your Voicemail GreetingGet a Second OpinionProfessional Voicemail Examples to Use in the Workplace:Personal PhoneSelf-Employed BusinessBusiness With Lead GenerationBusiness With Alternative Contact PersonCustomer ServiceVacationWhat Not to DoFinal Thoughts
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A professional voicemail should be short and succinct. Simply introduce your company, ask the caller to leave their information, and let the caller know when to expect a callback. Once you record your greeting, you can easily upload it into the OpenPhone app. Simply go to your phone number’s settings, then choose to record a greeting, upload an mp3 file, or use text-to-speech.
The simple truth is that you need to be more aware of what you’re leaving for other people to hear. Sure, this doesn’t always register as a priority for users, but it’s never too late to reassess your greeting. a. Reading/Speaking in the Imperfect Tone: Tone is absolutely everything. Users don’t want to come off as being too nice, as it sounds insincere, or being too terse, as it can be interpreted as being rude. That being said, striking the right balance is absolutely essential. Your greeting exists as its own entity, and therefore, it should NOT rely on callers’ familiarity with you. Instead, it needs to appeal to the masses. As such, your inflection, i.e. the way you state your name and directions, needs to be both welcoming and firm. b. Injecting Humor & Insincerity: While humor/light heartedness can be welcoming, it can also convey a sense of informality, insincerity, and ultimately unprofessionalism. Why, because you’re not there to lend your humor or to contextualize. Instead, you’re assuming the caller has a working knowledge of your personality to ground the message. Though this might not sound like it’s all that terrible—it can be detrimental. As stated above, one should NEVER rely on a caller’s familiarity with you. Instead, aim to appeal to the masses. Humor is ultimately subjective, meaning not everyone has the same tastes; therefore, someone is bound to be turned off by a quirky or off-color remark. While implementing a light-hearted or even tongue and cheek tone can work, it’s just a really bad idea.