1. Do not begin with the “Your call is very important to us…”
    This phrase is overused and can be “turn off” to callers.
  2. Let the customer know whose voicemail they have reached.
    What business, department, or person are they leaving a message for?
  3. Apologize that you cannot take their call right now.
  4. Invite your customer to leave a message.
  5. Let your customer know when they can expect a return call.
    Follow through with a call back!
  6. List any additional options that are available to your customer.
    Does website provide meaningful information? What is the web address? Are there additional numbers for them to call in case of an emergency?
  7. Avoid giving out too much information.
    Keep it simple!
  8. Keep your voice message short and sweet.
    An optimal recording is about 25 seconds.

Top 7 business voicemail greetings

  1. Hi, you’ve reached [you name]of [your business]. I’m sorry that I’m not available to answer your call at the present time. Please leave your name, number and a quick message at the tone and I’ll forward your message to the appropriate person.
  2. Hi this is [you name], I’m either away from my desk or on the phone, please leave your name and number along with a short message and I’ll be sure to get back to you.
  3. Hello, you have reached the office of [your name]; I will be out of my office starting on [date] and will be returning on [date]. 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 [your number].
  4. Hi, this is [your name] of [your business]. I’m currently unable to take your call. Please leave your name, phone number, and a brief message, and I will contact you as soon as possible. Thanks.
  5. You have reached [your business]. All of our sales representatives are busy serving other customers but we would like to return your call as soon as possible. For current pricing information or to check the status of your order, please visit us on the web at [your website]. Otherwise, please leave us a message with your name and number after the tone. If you would like to return to the previous menu, press the [key to main menu].
  6. You have reached [your business]. We are currently closed. Our normal hours of operations are from [hours] [days]. We are closed on [days]. Please leave us a message with your name and number and we will return your call when the office reopens. You may hang up after leaving your message or press the [key] for additional options. Thank you for calling.
  7. You have reached [your business]. All of our representatives are currently busy, but if you leave us a detailed message with your name and number we will return your call in the next two hours. Thank you for calling and have a great day.