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
1.) Welcome to John Doe. Unfortunately, there is no one in the office right now or your are calling outside of business hours. Please leave a message or send an email to [email protected]. Many thanks for your call.
.
Are you on the hunt for more great business tips? Why not take a look at some of our other blog posts, like how to waste less time and boost efficiency? And remember, you can always get in touch with all your queries.
A general voicemail greeting is what callers will be greeted with if you are unable to answer the phone at work. It is the everyday greeting, used as the default, unless you have set up a temporary greeting, such as an away message while you're on vacation, or a special message during a holiday.
Hi, this is Lauren Jones. I’m not able to get to the phone right now but please leave a message and I’ll call you back as soon as I can. Thank you.
Don’t forget to change your cell phone voicemail if you decide to use call-forwarding, and consider updating the phone number in your email signature while working remotely.
As a real estate professional, you're always on the go. Whether showing homes and apartments to a prospective client or staging a home for sale, it's likely that you're out of the office quite often. Anyone in the industry knows that, out of the office is a good place to be. Unfortunately, it makes staying professional just a little bit harder. What happens when you're working with one client and another one calls? Most likely, you send that call to your voicemail box, but what does your voicemail greeting say? What should voicemail messages include? If you're voicemail isn't offering the right information, you might lose a sale.
17. “Hi, you’ve reached [your name, the office of X company]. We’re closed until [date]. Please leave your name and phone number and someone will return your call ASAP. Have a great [New Year’s, Fourth of July, day].”
Finally get an answering machine. Now how does this thing work? Hmmm. Press record button, I did that, and the light should be on. I wonder why it’s not working right. Hmmmm, I wonder what this button does……
For small businesses, there are a variety of voicemail service providers you can use that offer different features. From transcription and voice to text to more convenient features of handling multiple phones through one number, availability varies by service. Shared voicemail and call routing is intended for multiple access and directing calls to one or multiple phones. Mobile apps are also available that allow you to check your messages from your phone. The below infographic outlines the current state and trends of voicemails.
“Hi there! You’ve reached [XYZ Company]. We are unable to take your call at the moment, but we want to hear what you have to say. Please leave your full name, contact details and reason for reaching out, and one of our staff members will get in touch with you within 24 hours. Thanks!”
STARTING Ideas Business Formation Patents Entrepreneur Advice BRANDING Logos Business Names Website Business Cards FINANCING Startup Funding Line of Credit Invoice Factoring Loans MARKETING Sales Advertising Social Media Email ACCOUNTING Software Credit Cards Payroll Taxes REVIEWS This page may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.
Businesses should have two main types of greetings to create an excellent call experience. The first one is what we call a “welcome greeting” – this greeting welcomes callers to your business. Typically, a welcome greeting will present a menu of call options like hours, location, or customer service. For more details on how to create a welcome greeting for your general business number, read this article.
12. Hi, this is [your name]. I’m away from my phone at the moment, but leave a message after the tone so I can get back in touch later today.
In certain situations, it’s a good idea to let a call go to voicemail. If you’re in a loud area, unable to spend 10-15 minutes talking, or are otherwise distracted, don’t answer. Recruiters who cold-call candidates will understand that you’re simply unavailable – but make sure to return calls in a timely manner. If possible, call back during regular business hours.
Avoiding extraneous detail in your voicemail greeting is essential for saving your caller from unnecessary information. It shows callers that you value their time and keeps your professional priorities in check. Consider the following examples: Hi, how are you today? Thank you for calling. You have reached the voicemail box of Steven Haven. I am unavailable to answer the phone right now. From May 20th - 31st, I will be in Disney World with my family. Please leave your name and number and I'll get back to you as soon as I can, when I return June 1st. Should you need to reach someone in the meantime, please dial client services at 1.800.801.3381 option 2. Thank you and have a great day. Hi, this is Steven Haven. I'm currently away from the office until June 1st. Please leave your name and number and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you.
d. Utilizing Ambiguity Over Clarity: When setting up your voicemail greeting be direct and to the point. Tell callers your information, a brief greeting, and direction—i.e. “Hi, this is Jim Shamalam (from Iron Industries). Sorry I can’t take your call right now. Please leave your name number, and a brief message and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you.” This is ideal, as you inform callers and let them know what they should do to ensure a return call. A lack of direction can lead to callers leaving incomplete messages (lacking contact or other information) or even callers hanging up without leaving a message altogether.