When you work in a business, customers, employees or other business-related individuals may try to get in touch with you by phone. Having a professional voicemail greeting when you can’t answer calls directly can set the right tone for your business and inform callers when they can expect their call to be returned.
We put a lot of effort into trying to get people not to leave messages on the old house phone (long story, there was some reason I forget why we couldn't turn the voicemail off). Messages with words in don't work. Even if you make them 10 minutes long and full of "Please do not leave voicemail here, we won't hear it" repeatedly, people will sit through it and then leave a message. We eventually settled on something that sounded like a very noisy modem, which mostly worked. I have no idea whether people would recognise modem noises these days though, especially if this is for a mobile number...
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You can’t call someone back if you don’t have their number. It seems basic, but it’s easy to forget. So a quick reminder can go a long way.
-This is you-know who. We are you-know-where. Leave your you-know-what you-know-when.
If you’d like more information about telephone skills, this is a great book on telephone service skills – The Best of the Telephone Doctor.
A special high five to Margot Howard for her outstanding research and contributions to this article. We love working with and supporting like-minded entrepreneurs who are passionate about business success strategies. Thank you Margot! ❤️
02Hello, you’ve reached [your name] of [your company/business]. I’m sorry that I’m not available to answer your call now. Please leave your details and a brief message at the tone and I’ll make sure your message reaches the right person. This is the perfect voicemail for a department’s secretary or operatory to let those calling know that their message will be delivered when you get back.
Want to make a great first impression? Use these voicemail templates as a starting point for crafting your own professional voicemail!
If anything big changes- address, phone, etc.- make sure you correct your voicemail early on. Keep It Short; We know, we know. We just gave you all this information and we’re now telling you to ‘keep it short‘. But, a professional voicemail greeting (or any for …
Your prospects need to hear something which can make them hold on to what you are trying to tell them and that starts with a good attractive statement.
“Hi, thanks for calling the office of (insert your name). I’m away from my desk or out of the office. Please leave your name and number, and I’ll return your call as soon as possible. If you need immediate assistance, please hang up and reach our customer support team at (insert phone number). Thanks, and have a great day!”
When you generate a lead from your website, mention how you obtained their information and reference any material they downloaded. Consider the following script when calling a lead who recently visited your website:
In a concise fashion, you should relate the hours your business functions, and note any potential conflicts such as holidays or business closures. Use an auto attendant if you have more than one menu option for the customer, such as a voicemail box and an emergency support line.
The second example conveys a value for the caller's time that the first example does not. This avoidance of extraneous detail keeps the greeting focused and free of empty wording.
The scripts below work for those golden opportunities when a person, not voicemail, answers the phone. Preparation Is Required for Effective Voicemail. As usual in a job search, the key is preparation: don’t try to “wing it” and expect to succeed. Since leaving effective voicemail messages is a tough and touchy subject, I interviewed an
18. “Happy holidays! [I’m, the team at X company is] away until [date], however, we’ll make sure to call you back straight away when we return. If your request is urgent, email [emergency contact] at [email address]. Thanks, and have a wonderful [day, week].”