I have a confession to make: I haven’t recorded a new voicemail greeting since 2014. In the past four years, I (hopefully) have become more articulate, poised, and self-assured. But hear my voicemail recording, and you’d think I was still new to the work world, a little unsure of myself — and probably not an authority. Obviously I need toupdate it. And if you haven’t changed your voicemail greeting in over a year, you’re likely in the same boat. After all, a professional voicemail recording boosts your credibility, makes you seem more competent, and encourages whoever’s listening to it to continue the relationship. A relatively unprofessional one — like mine, for instance — does the opposite: It encourages prospects, recruiters, and potential connections to run in the other direction. With that in mind, I’ve written 18 unique voicemail greetings for every situation. Pick your favorite, practice a few times, then record your new voicemail.
Before you record your business voicemail greeting, be sure to rehearse it so you feel comfortable and don’t stumble around. You might want to write a script and practice a few times out loud beforehand.

There you have it – voicemail messages for three of the situations you’ll find yourself in most of the time.
Even in the case of cold calls, you should have a reason for contacting people and name that reason. For instance, you might contact business owners if you specialize in business insurance. In the case of warm calls, you may be contacting people who visited your website or registered for a free webinar. Mention this when you call.