Professional voicemail greeting: 5 examples you need to try!

Does a professional voicemail greeting still engage customers? Imagine the following situation. You’re making a call… Ring, ring! You’ve reached the voicemail box service of Voice123; please leave a message at the Beep. Beeeeeeeep! Well, if that reminded you of trying to make a root canal appointment at the dentist, we certainly commiserate. See, a professional voicemail greeting should actually make customers want to hang on the line instead of hanging up. So, let’s try professional voicemail greeting; take two.  

Ring, ring!

Welcome to Voice123, where we really help you to speak for yourself! We can’t take your call at the moment because we’re busy helping folks like you get terrific voice overs. Leave your name and contact number, and our voice experts will get back to you sooner than you think. Beeeeeeeep!Much better, right? So, a professional voicemail greeting matters to callers because it represents a professional service, and that’s why it also needs a professional voice actor to spice up your recording. At Voice123, we’re talking from 20+ years of experience. So, in this post, we’ll cover what is a professional voicemail greeting and share 5 professional voicemail greeting examples to inspire you!

Watch our tutorial on professional voicemail greetings

What is a professional voicemail greeting?

A professional voicemail greeting is a brief 10 to 30-second prerecorded audio message that customers hear when their call goes unanswered or before talking to an operator, and it prompts the caller to leave a message or take another action. Your voicemail greeting is similar to an appetizer at a restaurant. It stimulates a person’s appetite, making it easier for them to wait patiently for the main course. In the same way, a recorded voicemail greeting gives customers a brief taste of your main services so they can wait patiently for a callback, knowing that they won’t be ignored. Now, your greeting can do this by:

• Answering questions like, please review the FAQ page on our website for information about…
• Offering reassurances like our lines are unusually busy, so we apologize for not taking your call. We pride ourselves on our 5-star service, so please leave your name…
• Providing an immediate service. For tech-related queries, please dial…. For after-hours support, please log a query on… 

Customers will wait for your service if your voicemail greeting answers a need. And when you do return their call, you can cultivate their interest using the art of a professional business voicemail greeting.

5 professional voicemail greeting examples

1. Voicemail greeting for busy on another line:

Hi there! You’ve reached (company name) where (catchphrase). We’re on the other line, but please leave your name and number and let us know how we can help you. We’ll ensure the right team gets back to you within (e.g., 3 hours). We appreciate your call. Thank you.

2. After-hours business voicemail greeting: 

You’ve reached (company name). We are currently off-duty. Our business hours are (e.g., Monday through Saturday, 9 am to 7 pm). Please leave your name, contact number, and reason for calling, and we’ll return your call on the next business day. Thank you.

3. Closed for vacations/team retreats:

Thank you for calling (company name). Our office is closed until (e.g., Monday, January 5th, for the December holidays). If your call is urgent, please contact (Peter at 212-555-1212 or Peter@company name.com). Otherwise, please leave a message, and we’ll return your call as soon as we reopen. We value your call. Thank you from everyone at (company name).

4. Unexpected emergencies:

For our team’s and customers’ safety during the (emergency), our company’s (name) phone lines have been disabled. Please contact us at abc@ or visit our website or social media channels for updates. We are grateful for your ongoing support and patience.

5. Specific department voicemail greeting:

Hi, you’ve reached the billing department at ABC. All of our team members are busy right now. If you’re interested in paying a bill, please visit abc.com/billing or leave your contact details and reason for calling, and we’ll get back to you soon.

So, now that you’ve got some inspiration for your next voicemail greeting, why do you need a professional voicemail greeting?

Why do you need a professional voicemail greeting?

You need a professional voicemail greeting because the greeting a customer hears embodies your company and what it stands for, and in your absence, that greeting can help keep existing business relationships intact and generate new ones. Now, it might be tempting to record your own greeting – a simple ‘Sorry we missed your call.’ But it’s worth hiring a professional voice actor if you want customers to stick around long enough to leave a message or wait for you to call back. 

Imagine the effect a guy next door voice like Ben Stiller would have on customers. Or maybe they relate to a deeper voice with more gravitas and less fluff, like a Morgan Freeman soundalike. This is one of the truths of the universe; you’ve reached ABC company….  So, using a professional voice actor like the ones on Voice123 won’t just give you a nifty professional voicemail greeting. It’ll give you a greeting critical to holding your customers’ attention.

How to make an engaging business voicemail greeting

You can make an engaging business voicemail greeting by including three important elements. Just like a Martini needs 3 key ingredients: gin, vermouth, and olives, a professional business voicemail greeting needs these three elements:

1. The basic company info.
2. An explanation, such as an apology or alternative communication means. 
3. A clear and brief message of what the customer must do.

Okay, so now that you have the ingredients, it’s time to put it together to make your voicemail cocktail.

First, start with a greeting that suits your customers, from an informal Hi to a formal good day. Second, add the company/department or contact person’s name so the customer knows they’ve reached the right place/person. Third, toss in the explanation for missing the call, like, we’re traveling to …., or our company is on our work retreat. Fourth, stir in when you can return the call or provide an alternative contact number or person; call Tom Burnes, the marketing director, on ….. Finally, top it off with a CTA (call-to-action). The caller needs specific direction, so give them something to do. Like, call us on our alternative number, 123456….., or email us at abc@. Specific direction triggers customers to take a specific action.

Final thoughts

So, investing in professional voicemail greetings is worth the effort for two reasons. Because a professional voicemail greeting is the first and sometimes only impression your business leaves them with. It builds trust by establishing a connection with existing clients, and it’s the initial point of contact for new customers. So, keep your greeting simple with a combination of 3 elements: basic company info, an explanation, and a brief message. 

Now that you have the necessary tools to craft your own business voicemail greetings, it’s time to find the voice that will make your customers want to wait for your call. And whether that’s Ben Stiller or Morgan Freeman, you’ll find everything you need in voice actor from the pros on Voice123. You can also use our Managed Services and have our team find the best voice actors for your project.

May the beeeep be ever in your favor!  

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