You are off for a vacation for several weeks in an exotic location, suppose a beach, enjoying yourself with your friends and family, and suddenly your phone rings. And after seeing it, you know that it's someone from your profession. You can’t pick up the call due to privacy. What will you do at this point? Well, here is the trick! You can pre-record a default voice message to let your caller know that you are out somewhere on the vacation and won’t be available for another more weeks.
That’s where professional voicemail greeting comes to play. It is a pretty useful feature that can be used on any smartphone irrespective of the model (although older smartphone models do not support this feature). Yet there are options available natively on Android and the latest iPhones.
In this brand-new post, we shall get to know some of the vital aspects of professional voice greetings - what they are exactly, their vital benefits, how to record better professional-sounding voicemail greetings, special considerations, and much more right here. So, make sure to read till the end.
What is a Professional Voice Greeting?
Professional voicemail greetings are recordings on your smartphone that inform clients, colleagues, and business partners that you are not available for the call and will be back on the mentioned date and time.
This voicemail is pre-recorded by the user in a controlled environment, which is a vital and useful aspect of effective business communication especially, if you’re running a market-focused business like selling products.
Why Does Your Business Need This?
Effective communication forms a crucial pillar for any business and a vital factor for brand development. For example, it is a predominant part of the job search strategy for both recruiting manager and the candidate.
For the candidate it lets him/her know whether the recruiting manager is busy somewhere and when they will be available. On the contrary, for the recruiter, it helps them know that the candidate is available for the interview, but cannot attend at the moment due to unforeseen circumstances. This saves valuable time for both parties in the process.
This is but one example. The same principle applies to sales, meetings, appointments, and many other scenarios in the business world.
7 Elements of a Great Professional Voicemail Greeting Recording
As mentioned before, a professional voicemail is a recorded voice message that lets the recipient know you cannot receive a call at this point. The main motto of a professional voicemail greeting is to let the caller feel appreciated, informed, and satisfied.
At this point, you must be curious about how to create one. Well, here is the answer. Keeping in mind the 7 elements of a good voicemail, you will be able to create one for yourself.
Your Introduction
The first and foremost thing for any voicemail is to let the caller know about the basic details about yourselves, which include your introduction. Under introduction, we have:
- Your name & company’s name (to let the caller know that he/she calling the right person)
- Your position in the company
- Office hours
- Thank You & Sorry
This element forms the core of any voicemail. After introducing yourself, next comes appreciate his/her efforts in taking time and calling you. This will surely lighten the caller's mood and make them appreciated and valued. In the same breath, don’t forget to apologize, which will help maintain a strong relationship with the caller by keeping him/her from getting frustrated or annoyed by not picking up the call.
The Main Reason for Not Picking-Up
Your appreciation and apology should be followed by stating the reason for your inability to pick up the call in the professional voicemail greeting. In this case, you don’t need to explain with an in-depth story. Just be precise and find the gist of what kept you from picking up the call.
Suppose you are out of your station somewhere, to see the condition of your ailing grandmother; in such case, you don’t need to mention this reason. Rather say, “personal reasons”. With this, the caller won’t feel bored as well as it will maintain your privacy. Post that, let them know your availability to take the call or meet the caller personally.
Alternative Way of Communication
This typically varies from industry to industry and your work-life balance. If, you are in a position where you need to present 24 hours for the duty, or you know that the caller is contacting you for some emergency, provide that person with alternative contact details like your phone number or email. However, if you are doing a 9 to 5 job and you want the person won’t call you, it's better not to include this information.
Non-Verbal Communication
There are two aspects to any communication: one is audible, in which the person is listening, and the other one is non-verbal communication, which showcases your tone and confidence during the voicemail. Although the caller won’t see you, it reveals a lot about you.
First, maintain a polite and pleasant tone throughout your message. Make sure to have a good posture by having your back straight parallel to the backrest of the chair, sitting upright generally makes you more aware and confident. Another way is to smile to let yourself be relaxed, this lightens your demeanor which the caller will be able to tell just by your voice. Make sure to speak, at a slow pace, and in a low tone, to engage the caller into listening till the end. Avoid too much stuttering! If you have this problem, better to practice beforehand.
Length of the Voicemail
Although you might have many things to say in your professional voicemail greetings; if you try to talk for a long time, it will bore the caller and thus they may skip crucial information. Therefore, it’s a crucial practice to keep the recording under 30 seconds. With this, that person will value you in the future.
Empathy or Personal Touch
Personal touch refers to maintaining a close connection with another person. Adding it can drastically elicit a positive reaction from the caller. However, be careful about what to include in this person's touch. If you are in a position junior to the caller, better to avoid jokes and just be professional. On the other hand, if you frequently engage with others in the same position, some informal jokes might not hurt.
Call-To-Action (CTA)
Last but not least is the Call-To-Action (CTA). It is commonly referred to as the final action point during the voicemail. Hence, it becomes the most necessary part. Include clear-cut instructions about the action that you require from the caller.
Top 5 Examples of Professional Voicemail Greetings
- Example 1:
Hi, you’ve reached [your name & company]. Thanks for calling. I can’t answer your call at the moment, however, if you leave your name, number, and message, I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
- Example 2:
Hi, you have reached [name & company]. I can’t get to the phone right now, but if you need to speak with someone immediately, contact my assistant, [name] at [number]. Otherwise, leave your name, number, and message and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
- Example 3:
Hi, you’ve reached [name] at [company]. I’m sorry I couldn’t take your call at this time, I’m either on another call or away from my desk. Please leave your name, number, and reason for calling and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
- Example 4:
Hi, you’ve called [name] at [company]. Thanks for calling. If you need a quick reply, email me at [email address] and I will reply within 24 hours. Otherwise, if it’s not urgent, leave me a message with your name and number and I’ll get back to you when possible.
- Example 5:
Hi, you’ve reached [name] at [company]. I will be out of the office from [date] to [date]. Please leave a brief message and your contact information and I will call you back once I return to the office on [date]. Alternatively, if you need to speak with someone sooner, please contact [colleague’s name] at [phone number or email address]. Thank you for calling. Appreciate your time!
What are the Etiquettes to follow in a Professional Voicemail Recording
After going through the examples, you have gotten an in-depth idea about professional voicemail. Now, you can easily record a voicemail hassle-free in minimal time. But you should also be aware that there are certain etiquettes to follow to pose an everlasting impression on the caller.
During a professional voicemail recording, you need to follow certain mannerisms or etiquette. So let’s take a look at what these etiquettes are:
Update the Voicemail Regularly
If you have switched the company or are being promoted, it's always better to make necessary changes in your professional voicemail, as well. Update all the requisite information to prevent any misunderstanding with the caller. Even if that voicemail is for the most interacted person, use this strategy. They will appreciate the change.
Check your Voicemail Regularly
It’s always a better practice to periodically check the voicemail to make sure you don’t miss any important message from the client or the colleague. Do this every morning after waking up. Make it a daily habit. You can even set a reminder for this. After that, if possible, call the concerned person. It will make the receiver feel valued.
Don’t Ignore Calls
Although voicemail is meant for keeping the clients engaged and information when you can’t get their call. Yet it's recommended to avoid this practice for a longer time. You’re sitting ideally, and suddenly your phone rings. Rather than ignoring it and letting voicemail do the rest, better to pick up the call. Don’t let multiple missed calls at bay.
Check your Environment
To record a voicemail, it's better to choose a quiet place rather than the hustle & bustle of your workplace or a public space. Also make sure, while you choose a peaceful place, don’t let the voices of others distract you. It can be hard for the caller to distinguish your voice and get a piece of clear information if there are too many voices in the background.
Be Polite & Professional
We have already mentioned this in the elements of a professional voicemail greeting section (check the sixth point); you need to be sure to be courteous during recording. For this:
- Choose your words carefully. Be sure to use genuine and positive words. Avoid inappropriate language.
- Keep the message clear and precise.
- Remember, it’s the first impression on the caller, so try to be the on your best approach!
Bonus Tip
Well after all you’ve made it this far! Here’s the bonus tip: it's better to write the script on a piece of paper and read it aloud during the recording process. This way, you will be precise and clear.
Moreover, you can convey the right message to the caller, including the correct words engulfed. However, try to be natural rather than rehearsed. With this, you won’t let the anxiety set in.
Other Vital Dos & Don’ts
- Dos:
- Make it clear at the start whom the caller is reaching out to.
- Be expressive and use a friendly-tone voice besides simply being polite.
- Update your message regularly.
- Give the caller the information that’s needed.
- Be precise and to the point.
- Reflect on your company’s image rather than your own.
- Don’ts
- Be too informal, despite the caller being too close to you.
- Give a prolonged sales pitch in your voicemail greeting message.
- Exceed the voicemail to over 30 seconds.
Conclusion
We hope you liked this fascinating yet enlightening blog. These vital tips & tricks about voicemail greetings professional will help to boost your business reputation and present the best version of you in your organization.
Now, after all this, you must be wondering about where to get a professional voicemail service. Well, there are plenty of online platforms to avail of this service. But one of the best on the list is LimePhone!
LimePhone is among the leaders in offering best-in-class voicemail service. LimePhone also provides virtual numbers, call forwarding, phone extensions, and a whole lot more - all in one place! Just visit limephone.io and start your free trial today!
