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.
Before moving on to learning about voicemail message templates, let’s learn some tips to effectively take phone messages. Tips for Taking Phone Messages Effectively . Creating a phone message template is the first step in starting a good phone communication procedure – but it doesn’t stop there.

We no longer support this browser. For an optimal experience, we recommend updating your browser. Residential Small Business Contact Us Residential Internet Bundles TV Home Phone Fiber Internet Special Offers Moving? Accesories Business Internet Business Phone Business Bundles Business TV Business Fiber Contact Us Support Center Quick Bill Pay Manage Your Account Support Sign In Support Small Business services support SIMPLE Digital Phone Voicemail Turn voicemail on and off If you want to send calls to voicemail without the ability to answer them, select the Send all calls to voicemail checkbox. We do not recommend you turn this on. By default, the When busy, send calls to voicemail and Send unanswered calls to voicemail checkboxes are selected. We recommend you keep these features on. Record a greeting Select Personal if you want to use your own message, then click Browse to upload a WAV file of your recording. Select Personal if you want to use your own message, then click Browse to upload a WAV file of your recording. Listen to messages
Before you record your business voicemail greeting, be sure to rehearse it so you feel comfortable and don’t stumble around. You might want to write a script and practice a few times out loud beforehand.