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.
With OpenPhone you can record your own voicemail greetings directly in the app, upload your own voice clips or simply type your voicemail script. With the text to speech functionality, you can copy one of the 21 voicemail samples above and paste it into the OpenPhone voicemail interface to get your professional voicemail greeting instantly.
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2. Write down a script for your greeting. You want to create a script that you can read from while recording your voicemail. By having something to read, you can relax and sound polite and confident. Start with a polite “Hello”. Inform the caller of who you are, and apologize for missing the call. End your script by asking the caller to leave a name and contact number with a brief message. Inform the caller that you will get back to them as soon as possible. You can also sign off with a friendly “Have a nice day,” if you wish.
Nobody wants to play phone tag. Skip the back and forth by explicitly telling the caller to leave their name, number, and the best day(s) and time(s) to reach them. Your clients will appreciate you not wanting to waste their time.
As a bonus, here is an example of our own holiday voicemail greeting here at OpenPhone:
24. Hello, you’ve reached [business name]. Every call is important to us, so please leave a brief message that includes your name and phone number so a member of our customer success team can call you back as quickly as possible.
Ever had someone leave you a voicemail and you can barely understand a word they’re saying?
State your name clearly so the caller knows they have the right number. 3 of the messages I heard last month were missing his/her name.
And remember, while you’re busy returning your calls, Blitz can be automating other parts of your sales process. We can assign leads to your staff or even send emails to your customers.
Are you ready to get started with VoIP for your business? Click here for a free quote from Aline and one of our sales representatives will reach out to answer any questions and help get you started!
The best voicemail messages are friendly, concise, and get straight to the point. So, what is a good voicemail script? In this post, we’ll discuss why you need a script, give you five voicemail templates, and show you how to record a professional greeting.
The reality is you’ll never know when the perfect time for your prospect, but you can be smart about when not to call.
Many businesses want to sound professional and, as a result, end up creating boring, monotonous, and overly generic messages such as: “Hi, this is Joe. I’m either on the phone or away from my desk. Please leave me a message.”
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From time to time, the information provided in your voicemail greeting will update. Maybe your business hours or phone number will change. No matter what the change is, make sure that if the altered information appears in your voicemail greeting, that you update the recording as soon as possible. Don’t mislead customers through mistaken communication.
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:
For many small businesses, the announcement will send the caller straight to a voicemail box. But larger organizations may decide to direct callers to a phone menu or forward the call to an external destination, depending on the situation. These options can include: Listing individual voicemail boxes for different departments or employees.