To improve a a business voicemail greeting, keep these eight rules at the forefront of the creative process: Avoid turning customers off with overused and impersonal phrases like “your call is very important to us..." Avoid leaving customers unsure by not immediately telling them the business, department, and/or person they’ve reached.
Internal Voicemail Greeting Examples: This is used to greet people who call you from within your company (i.e. from another extension). External Voicemail Greeting Examples: This greeting will be played for people who call from outside your company. Your telephone system's automated attendant may play a general company greeting that all

Thank you for calling the XYZ corporation. Please listen carefully to the following menu options, as our menu has recently changed. For new customers, press 1. For existing customers placing a new order, press 2. For product support, press 3. For accounts receivable, press 4. For accounts payable, press 5. To hear contact information and directions to our main facility, press 6. To dial by name, press 7. Press 0 if you wish to reach an operator.
In previous blogs, I’ve mentioned the importance of making a good first impression on a potential client. Most of the time, the first contact will be over the telephone. Since we are often in session, it is very likely that the first time a client hears our voice is on our voicemail greeting. This is why a professional greeting is so important. Identify yourself because you need to reassure the client that they have called the correct number. Clients will be a lot less likely to leave a message if they wonder who will get it. Use a warm friendly voice to say something like, “You have reached xxxx, licensed mental health counselor.” Tell clients what to do if they are in crisis. Although it seems obvious to us, clients may not realize that it could be several hours until we can return their call. I suggest something like, “If you require immediate assistance, please dial 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.” Ask for what information you need. Yes, the obvious name and number, but if it would be helpful to get their insurance information, ask for that, too. Give clients an idea about when you’ll return their call. Common business practice is within 24 business hours. Any extra messages or information you’d like clients to know. For example, if you are no longer accepting a particular insurance plan, the end of your voicemail greeting is a great place to convey that information.