It might be hard to imagine, but sometimes you won't have your cell phone on you, yet you may still need to check your voicemail. Nowadays, most carriers have simple …
Don’t confuse voice mail with automatic attendant systems. Automatic attendant, where the computer actually answers the phone, is the single worst business invention ever. Human answers. Human determines if the person you’re calling is in by ringing their phone and monitoring the response. If not in, human returns and says, “Mr. Jones is not in. Would you like me to help you personally, take your message personally or would you like to leave a detailed message on his or her voice mail?” You faint from the shock.
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Here are four sample voice mail messages you can start using today to separate yourself from the other 95% of voice mails that get ignored, deleted and never returned.
Your message should be specific, and you have to create a sense of urgency so the contact opts to get back in touch with you. Words and phrases to use include: Must; I must hear back by [day]… Need; we need to talk about… Should; we should discuss…
If your business is off for a holiday, it's a common courtesy to update your voicemail to acknowledge the closure. Mention the closure in the beginning of the message, convey when your business is reopening, and don't forget to wish the callers a happy holiday if the occasion calls for it. If you're away from your office, check your voicemail remotely to keep up with incoming messages if necessary. Or get voicemail to email capabilities set up on your phone system. Thank you for calling Merlow Plumbing. We are closed for Christmas from December 24th, 2015, until January 2nd, 2016. Our normal business hours are Monday through Thursday, 8 am - 6 pm. Please leave your message after the tone. Have a happy holiday, and we look forward to seeing you in the New Year. 5. Emergency Situation Voicemail Greeting
Here are some helpful links to help you record voicemail greeting that is clear and professional. Record your phrases for recording a great voicemail greeting here. Record yourself and compare it with a native speaker. Hear Georgie giving helpful feedback to other students on their voicemail greetings.
“Hello ___. This is ______ from _________. I’m calling because you downloaded my guide on “How to Make the Best Offer In Today’s Housing Market”, and I have some new information I haven’t had a chance to add to the ebook but would like to share. It’s about what I’ve learned from clients who’ve been caught up in bidding wars and how they came out on top. If you’d like to learn more about making the best offer to win the house of your dreams, my number is ______. I’ll follow up with an email as well {mention texting if you don’t have an email address}. I look forward to hearing what you think about the ebook. Again, my number is ___________ . Have a great day!”
Your customers might need you on the holidays. If you’re a business owner, you know this already. 🙂 Manage customer expectations and let them know how to get assistance.
Here are four sample voice mail messages you can start using today to separate yourself from the other 95% of voice mails that get ignored, deleted and never returned.
“Hello ___. This is ______ from _________. I’m calling because you requested information through [vendor] about [address of house]. I’m available right now to answer questions. I found a couple of other homes near the one you’re interested in, and they are similarly priced. Do you want to talk tonight? You can call or text me at ___________. I look forward to speaking with you and answering any questions. Again my number is ___________. Thank you!"
Hello Lynn, this is Annemarie from Speak Confident English. I’m calling to follow up on our discussion at the conference last week. The best way to reach me is by phone during the workday. My number is 222-231-2323. Again, that’s 222-231-2323. Thank you.
15. "This is Bond. James Bond. Okay, it's really [your last name]. [Your first name] [your last name]. I'll get back to you as soon as I'm done helping M16 save the world — which will probably be tomorrow at the latest. Have a good day."
First, they're not a client yet, so they won't find your ambiguous award that interesting. Second, news like this takes the focus off the prospect and onto you -- not where you want it to be.
A compelling sales voicemail won't be particularly effective if your prospect has no idea how they should respond. You can't just rattle off what they stand to gain from leveraging your product or service and then hang up. Always offer some next steps or insight on what they should expect next — like another phone call or a follow-up email.
21. “Happy holidays. Thanks for calling OpenPhone. Our hours are a little different during the holiday season. Please listen carefully to the following changes. Customer Support is available December 23, 27, and 30th as well as January 2nd, 3rd from 11 AM – 5 PM EST. On December 24th, 31st, and the holiday weekends from the 21st to the 5th we are open from 12 PM – 3 PM EST. We are closed on December 25th, 26th as well as January 1st. In the case of an emergency, please leave a message and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. You can also reach out via email to [email protected]. Thanks for using OpenPhone and enjoy your holiday season!” Since our holiday hours are shorter, it’s a little harder to get in contact with us immediately. That means we need to be as detailed as possible for our callers’ convenience. Yet, we still kept it brief and friendly.
A good voicemail greeting is short and professional, lets people know that you’ll get back to them, and invites callers to continue engaging with a call-to-action. You should also show your personality if you’re in an industry or role that allows that. If your industry is more conservative, however, you’ll want to keep humor and personal touches to a minimum. A greeting Your name Your company A simple explanation for missing the call (e.g. you’re away from the phone or are on holiday) A rough estimate of when you’ll get back to the person An alternative person to reach out to (if you’re out of office) An alternative mode of communication (if you prefer email or text) A call-to-action such as “Leave a message” or “Send me an email at [email protected]”
One of the fastest ways to derail the cohesiveness of your voicemail is to skip the introduction altogether and jump right into the body of your message; skipping the greeting is sure to leave your listener confused about who you are and why you are calling them.