You’ve worked hard on your application. You’ve double- and triple-checked for spelling errors and you know you are a perfect fit for this job. You’ve followed up on your application and made such a great impression that the employer decides they want to call you in for an interview. You are checking your phone, anxiously awaiting the call…but nothing seems to happen.
Because for many callers, this will be the first point of contact for your business, it’s important to set it up correctly — but how?
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No matter what you call it, this is what callers hear when you don’t answer your phone. Or should I say, it’s what callers are forced to listen to even though they don’t want to. Your voicemail greeting is an overlooked marketing opportunity if all you’re using it for is to give instructions to the caller for what to do after the beep.
Hello. You have reached [Name]. I apologize for not being able to answer your call at the moment. However, if you leave your name, number, and a short message, I’ll make sure to contact you when I return.
• Hello, you have reached the office of XYZ; I will be out of my office starting on Tuesday, October 18th and will be returning on Monday, October 24th. You can call me when I return or leave a brief message. If this is an emergency, I can be reached on my cell, which is 000-000-0000.
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The intro: Include their name, your name, and a benefit so they’ll keep listeningThe results you’re offeringA questionA statement to peak their interest and give a reason to call backYour final statement and phone number
You don’t need to have your whole life story in your voicemail greeting, you just basically need them to know that they reached the right person and that you will be getting back to them as soon as you can. This is the part where people like to get funny, maybe by saying, “hey, I’m out and definitely avoiding you,” which is funny if your friends are calling, but not if someone you want to work for is trying to reach you.
If someone is listening to your voicemail greeting it's only because they intend to leave you a message. Don't make them listen to 3 minutes of rambling in order to do so. Plus, you're more likely to deliver a clean, professional read if you stick to shorter greetings. If more specific information is needed, direct callers to where they can find it on your website.
For example, are you great at telling jokes? Then throw a little humor into your call to lighten the mood and show off your unique personality.
24. "Thank you for calling [company]. We're closed for [holiday] from [date] until [date]. Please leave your message and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. Have a happy holiday season!"
You should acknowledge that right off the bat by apologizing that they couldn't reach you directly.
With OpenPhone you can record your own voicemail greetings directly in the app, upload your own voice clips or simply type your voicemail script.
14. "Hello, you've reached the Sales Department at [Company name]. All of our representatives are currently helping clients [insert goal such as, 'achieve 40% growth through streamlining HR operations'] and are unable to take your call. Please leave your name, company, and phone number and we'll give you a call back ASAP. Thank you!"
Little things like a great voicemail can really set you apart from your competition. Think about it. Would you be more inclined to want to interview someone who is shouting about how much they hate calling people back, or the person who simply asks you to leave a message? Andrea (she/her) is our head of PR at Snagajob, where she’s focused on telling the world how we help hourly workers and employers. Her first hourly job was as a lifeguard.
24. "Thank you for calling [company]. We're closed for [holiday] from [date] until [date]. Please leave your message and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. Have a happy holiday season!"
• The person you are trying to call is not available, Please leave a message after the beep.