For many of us, our professional voicemail greeting is a crucial first impression. For others, it might be something that our clients and partners hear over and over again. An unprofessional voicemail greeting reflects poorly on you, and while it’s easy to overlook, it’s just as easy to fix. Script it out beforehand. Make sure information is specific and up-to-date. Keep it short. Use a quality recording. Smile when you speak. Script your voicemail message
33. Hi, thank you for calling me. I apologize for not answering the phone at the moment. Please leave your name, number and message, and I will call you back as soon as possible. You can also send me an email at [your email]. Thank you, and have a nice day.
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First and foremost, it nearly goes without saying that it’s important to get a dedicated number specifically for work-related calls, but let’s just say it. Many of us working from home have had to deal with using our home phone number or getting an additional land-line installed. Those days of dial-up are long gone for most of us and it seems nearly everyone on earth now has a cell phone. There’s really no excuse not to have a dedicated work number these days. If you don’t have one, secure one today. It’s even easier than you think if you also consider options like Google Voice and My1Voice. You’d think this also goes without saying, but don’t leave the standard voicemail provided by your cell phone carrier or answering machine. It’s annoying. Everyone hates them. And don’t think that saying your name at the beep to customize your message helps. It’s just as annoying to hear the robotic voice that pauses as your voice interrupts the message to insert your name. Actually say your name You think I’m joking? I called someone just last week and when I got the voicemail it just repeated the number. I dialed by choosing the contact from my contacts and I’m not good with numbers. I wasn’t sure if the number was the number I mean to call, so I just hung up. It happens. Reveal specific information If it’s a typical work day and you’re just unable to answer your phone, it’s fine to say you’re currently unavailable. But if you’re sunning yourself on the beaches of Tahiti and have no intention of even checking your voicemail until you return to your desk in two weeks, it would be nice to let someone know. If they’re calling you they must need something. Let them know when you’ll be available. Give an emergency option Depending on what you do for a living, or just how accessible you want to appear to a potential employer, leaving an additional option for the caller to reach you often makes a good impression. Doctors offices do that all the time, right. If you can’t reach me this way, you can reach me THIS way. Or, you can reach someone else who can help you right now. KISS Keep It Simple, Stupid. You don’t want to speak like an auctioneer, but you do want to get as much information across as quickly as possible and get on to the beep. Your caller doesn’t need to know your life history, just the current facts and then sufficient space to leave you a message. Write it down Put some thought into exactly what you want to say. Don’t just hit record and play around until you’re satisfied that your message doesn’t suck. Think about it. Write down what you want to say and give it a try. Rearrange things, revise things. And, when you’re ready, hit the record button and give it a whirl. Smile Did you know that it’s believed that some 50 different types of smiles exist, from triumphant ones to bitter ones. Interestingly enough, there was a study a couple years ago where scientists used the phrase “I do in the summertime” to study the effects of smiling on person’s voice. Read all about in Smile – And The World Can Hear You, Even If You Hide. Or listen to the NPR show, Hearing a Smile in Tone of Voice. So close your eyes and think of your happy place. Think of something funny or amusing. Then, right before you hit the record button and begin speaking, SMILE. Callers will hear it. Just make sure you’re not actively laughing like the Joker from Batman throughout your voicemail greeting. Cut the comedy Smiling is a good thing. Acting like a clown, not so much. Cutesy comedic messages really don’t have a place on your work voicemail greeting. Be considerate Above all, consider the caller. A considerate message lets them know they’re important and that you’ll be returning their call. Even if the sun and moon revolve around your every move, your voicemail greeting isn’t the place for egocentric SOMETHING Listen to your messages and return calls
So, I finally did it. Here’s my process for developing a professional voicemail message in 10 steps:
2. Mention Hours of Operation Upfront. Most callers expect their call to be answered. Once they realize that your office is currently closed, the most important piece of information they probably want to know is your standard business hours.
Start Skype and choose Tools→Options→Calls→Voicemail from the main menu.Put a checkmark in front of Send unanswered calls to voicemail.Just click the Record button (the green button with the triangle) and speak the Voicemail greeting you want callers to hear.Click the Stop button (the red button with the dot) when you're finished recording.Click the Replay button (the red button with the backward arrow) to listen to the message you just recorded.When you're satisfied that you recorded the perfect message, click Save.See More....
Start Skype and choose Tools→Options→Calls→Voicemail from the main menu.Put a checkmark in front of Send unanswered calls to voicemail.Just click the Record button (the green button with the triangle) and speak the Voicemail greeting you want callers to hear.Click the Stop button (the red button with the dot) when you're finished recording.Click the Replay button (the red button with the backward arrow) to listen to the message you just recorded.When you're satisfied that you recorded the perfect message, click Save.See More....
Many businesses want to sound professional and, as a result, end up creating boring, monotonous, and overly generic messages such as: “Hi, this is Joe. I’m either on the phone or away from my desk. Please leave me a message.”
After accessing your voicemail, choose your next message option to perform a specific function. Press 1 to retrieve messages. Press 2 to go to saved messages. Press 7 to hear current date and time. Press 9 for your mailbox setup menu. How to navigate through messages while listening to a message
You already know the importance of staying in touch with your customers, whether they’re down the street or across the ocean. More than ever expanding into international markets is necessary for many growing businesses - and Business Voice offers competitive per-minute rates so international calling doesn’t have to be expensive.
When someone is trying to reach you and they can’t get you on the line, they want to leave a message right away and get on with their day. If your voicemail greeting goes on for minutes on end, chances are they aren’t going to stick around until they hear the beep.
It only works if you sound like you're having a good day, though, and it's not appropriate for all business situations. If used incorrectly, this phone greeting can sound forced. If the customer is calling a support line because they're not having a great day, this greeting may be …
Though it may seem weird and nonsensical to you, it really works. When you smile as you speak, you are able to sound happy, cheerful, and upbeat. Don’t knock it ‘til you try it.
20. “Hello! Thanks for reaching out to [company]. We’re closed today for the holiday, and will reopen tomorrow, [date]. If you leave your name, number, and a brief message, we’ll give you a call when we’re back in the office. Thanks again, and have a great [day, week].”
Well there you have it...all the steps you need to create a professional voicemail greeting. But if you don't want to do it yourself, you can leave the work to the professionals at Snap Recordings! Best of all, you can get a professionally recorded voicemail greeting starting at just $50! Get started now! Topics: Phone Greetings, Professional Voice Recordings, Voicemail Messages
Instead of sticking to the usual, be creative. Your voicemail can be used as an opportunity to make your brand stand out, so make sure to include a catchphrase or something that grabs the caller's attention. For instance, you can mention deals you’re currently offering or incorporate fun facts into your message.
Skype for business also includes not only the physical phone but a suite of features that includes Instant Messaging, Conferencing, Presence and much more. This guide will cover installing and signing-in to Skype for Business on your Windows, Mac OSX, Apple/Android mobile devices. For ChromeOS, please see this link Skype on ChromeOS.