Try to avoid unnecessary phrases that only make your greeting longer, like “leave your name and number and what you’re calling about.” Most people know what “leave a message” means.
Don’t leave customers and colleagues on edge. If you say you’re going to call them back, follow up. If you tend to fall behind in this area, encourage them to email you or reach out in another way. Better yet, learn how to forward voicemail to email so you can access the message anywhere.
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Voicemails that simply say, “call me” are irritating at best. If the recipient of your messages tends to fall into the trap listed in the previous point, tell him or her, “When you return my call, please leave a message on my voicemail to let me know the status of the project if I’m not able to pick up the phone.”
If you have a main business phone number that’s shared with the customers or publicly listed, you’ll want to make sure it has a professional voicemail message to greet callers. Here are sample greetings you can use to help you craft your own.
The concept may seem simple, but when the pressure is on and the clock is ticking, it’s sometimes easy to forget this extremely important detail.
Ryan Bozeman is a writer and conversion optimization consultant in Seattle, WA. He works with B2B technology startups, helping businesses find and execute effective content strategies. Any views or opinions represented in this post belong solely to the author. 8 Ways To Build Brand Trust & Make Your New eCommerce Business Look Established Tools, Templates, & Tactics You Can Use To Start, Run, & Grow Your Business 100+ Startup Tools About Us Work With Us Go to UniTel Voice »
Thank you for calling [LinkedPhone – The Work From Anywhere Business Phone System]. Our office is closed until [Monday, January 25th for the holiday weekend]. If your call is urgent, please contact [Anya at 212-555-1212 or [email protected]]. Otherwise, please leave a message and we’ll get back to you as soon as we return. We value your call. Thank you from everyone at [LinkedPhone].
The reality is you’ll never know when the perfect time for your prospect, but you can be smart about when not to call.
You may even want to take voice lessons or watch some YouTube videos on how to create authority in your voice.
Make sure to slow down, breath, and speak clearly in order to leave the best sales voicemail possible.
If you drone on and on, there is a good chance that some of your callers are going to hang up before leaving their message.
1. Share basic information: “Hello! You’ve reached the voicemail of [your name], [your job title]. I’m currently either away from my desk or on the other line.
Hi, you’ve reached the home of [name]. If you are calling to collect a student loan, gambling debt, or other obligation, please press 1 and hang up now. If you are selling any product or service, or requesting charitable donations, please press 2 and hang up now. Otherwise, press 3 and leave your message now. Pressing 3 is optional.
There is no definitive answer here, but you should include one of the two at the beginning of your message based on what makes the most sense.
16Hey, could you come up with some cute voicemail greetings, I’m out. Can you just leave your suggestion, after the tone? This voicemail engages your caller, challenging them to come up with funny voicemail messages, while they wait to leave their messages after the tone.
Different businesses may require different types of greetings. This is the ultimate list that can work for a wide array of company messages.
When on vacation, provide your callers with a return date and a back-up contact person to accommodate emergencies. This prevents you from potentially damaging a valued relationship while you enjoy some time off.