Keep it short and sweet so that the caller can quickly leave their message and move on with their day.
Your business depends on customer engagement, and voicemail messages are a large part of that engagement. A voicemail is nothing more than a digital recording system, where messages are stored for you to retrieve later. Voicemail allows you to be able to connect with customers while you are away or during your off-hours, where they can drop off a message while you are gone. A voicemail greeting, on the other hand, refers to the message that your callers hear upon answering the phone.
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Some say that voicemail greetings are dying, but some people still want the human connection on the phone, here are a few ideas for making it interesting.
Hello. This is (name). I'm not available to take your call right now. Please leave your name, phone number, and the best time to reach you. I will get back to you as soon as possible. Employers: Post Jobs Job Search Advice: Careers Resumes Interviewing © 2021 CollegeGrad LLC About Blog Contact Privacy
The simple truth is that you need to be more aware of what you’re leaving for other people to hear. Sure, this doesn’t always register as a priority for users, but it’s never too late to reassess your greeting. a. Reading/Speaking in the Imperfect Tone: Tone is absolutely everything. Users don’t want to come off as being too nice, as it sounds insincere, or being too terse, as it can be interpreted as being rude. That being said, striking the right balance is absolutely essential. Your greeting exists as its own entity, and therefore, it should NOT rely on callers’ familiarity with you. Instead, it needs to appeal to the masses. As such, your inflection, i.e. the way you state your name and directions, needs to be both welcoming and firm. b. Injecting Humor & Insincerity: While humor/light heartedness can be welcoming, it can also convey a sense of informality, insincerity, and ultimately unprofessionalism. Why, because you’re not there to lend your humor or to contextualize. Instead, you’re assuming the caller has a working knowledge of your personality to ground the message. Though this might not sound like it’s all that terrible—it can be detrimental. As stated above, one should NEVER rely on a caller’s familiarity with you. Instead, aim to appeal to the masses. Humor is ultimately subjective, meaning not everyone has the same tastes; therefore, someone is bound to be turned off by a quirky or off-color remark. While implementing a light-hearted or even tongue and cheek tone can work, it’s just a really bad idea.
In this article, we’ll discuss why a voicemail greeting is important for your business and show you how to set one up with just a few simple steps.
Professional — Lets them know who they’ve reached, why their call has not been answered and when they can expect a return call.Personable — Lets them know their message has been received by a real person who values their call and will reach back out to them. Including humor and a personal touch is extremely important here (even if your industry prefers to be more “robotic” in their communications). What is the most professional voicemail message?
Customers do not possess the expertise and knowledge you do. When creating your business voicemail greetings, make sure you don’t use such technical terms that the customer may not be able to understand.
A good way to do this is to maybe add, “Have a wonderful day” at the end of the greeting. It’s short, so it won’t contradict the first point, and it makes the message more personal.
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Do you have a crowning achievement or hold a competitive advantage? Showcase that within your voicemail so you’ll be memorable and emphasize why working with you is an advantage. Here’s an example of a professional voicemail someone in real estate could use:
6. "Hi, this is [your name]. I'm either on a call or away from my desk. Please leave your name, number, and a brief message and I'll get back to you. Thank you."
Hi! I told you never to call me at this number. But since you did, I left the knife on your back porch…Check to see I got all the blood off. Don’t forget to leave a message, and we’ll talk about the…plan.
I am currently away from the office and will return on
8. Morgan Freeman Shares His Voice for Voicemail Greetings. Morgan Freeman is known for his voice so much that he was asked to play the voice and image of God in Bruce Almighty.
If you are recording a voicemail message for business, be sure you include your name and your company’s name, so people know who they are calling and were they are reaching them. If you do not include the business name, they may think they have mistakenly called you at your personal number. Step One: Introduction. Start with an upbeat greeting that includes the name of the person you’re calling: “Hi, Tim!” “Hello, Susan!” “Good morning, Tom!” Then, introduce yourself by giving your name, company name if applicable, and telephone number. Step Two: Message. Step Three: Recap and sign off. What is a professional voicemail greeting?
To dial into the voicemail system to record your personal greeting and name, and change the type of greeting that is played when callers reach your voicemail, use the following instructions for your ShoreTel Sky Phone System: Access the voicemail system: If you are using a IP 400 series desk phone, press the Voicemail function key.