I have a confession to make: I haven’t recorded a new voicemail greeting since 2014. In the past four years, I (hopefully) have become more articulate, poised, and self-assured. But hear my voicemail recording, and you’d think I was still new to the work world, a little unsure of myself — and probably not an authority. Obviously I need toupdate it. And if you haven’t changed your voicemail greeting in over a year, you’re likely in the same boat. After all, a professional voicemail recording boosts your credibility, makes you seem more competent, and encourages whoever’s listening to it to continue the relationship. A relatively unprofessional one — like mine, for instance — does the opposite: It encourages prospects, recruiters, and potential connections to run in the other direction. With that in mind, I’ve written 18 unique voicemail greetings for every situation. Pick your favorite, practice a few times, then record your new voicemail.
If your customers feel that you don’t care, they’ll take their business elsewhere. Experiences are the differentiating factor between businesses. Big efforts to improve the overall experience in tiny ways by crafting a voicemail greeting script can make a huge difference when customers are asked by their friends and family how easy it was to work with you. And word spreads quickly in the age of social media. The more positive experiences you offer, even when you’re not available, the more likely those people will call back.

Recording voicemail greetings for your business or personal life requires a separate list of priorities, because they are being used for two distinct purposes and will be heard by two very different types of callers. I have a friend with two cell phones - one for work, and one for personal calls - and if you call both lines, you would never know it's the same person.
The features discussed in this article will come prepackaged with many VoIP setups a single user, midsize firm, or enterprise can purchase and begin using within minutes.