No matter how hard you try, there are always going to be times you just can’t get to the phone. What that means is that your answering machine is going to be the first part of your business that callers and potential clients interact with. So even without you being present, your need to provide unquestionable customer service.
To ensure that your business voicemail gives off a positive image, it behooves you to have a great voicemail greeting befitting your type of business. In this article, we’ll be running through 50 of the best examples, including for different days, types of businesses, and moods you want to get across to your callers. It’s not hard to come up with a free voicemail greeting for business!
- What is a good voicemail greeting for business?
- What to say in a voicemail greeting?
- Why is having business voicemail greetings important?
- Tips for creating a business voicemail greeting?
- How knowing your audience can help create a perfect voicemail greeting?
- How to set up business voicemail
- 50 business voicemail greeting examples
- How do you create the perfect voicemail greeting?
What is a good voicemail greeting for business?
A good voicemail greeting is created with a short message, oftentimes no more than a couple of sentences, in which callers are provided with the information they are most likely to need. The best voicemails seek to predict, and therefore address, the concerns of callers before they get to a physical person, in order to cut down on call times.
What to say in a voicemail greeting
It’s easy to mess up a professional voicemail greeting for business by using unoriginal phrases or by going on too long. Here’s a few things to do (and not do) when composing a message:
- Do not begin with the “Your call is very important to us…” This overused phrase is a boring “turn off” to callers and isn’t taken sincerely.
- Let the customer know the name, department, and position of the person whose voicemail they reached.
- Apologize for being unavailable to take the call.
- Invite the caller to leave a message.
- Mention the approximate time when you’ll return the missed call. Follow through with a call back!
- Optionally, your voicemail may include: a call to action, an alternative service phone number, a company email, a website, or social media. Some industries (e.g.medical) may find it necessary to give an emergency contact number.
- Keep the information concise – giving too much will confuse the caller.
- Keep things simple! While you don’t want to sound overly generic, it does not hurt to follow a script or even a template of some kind.
Why is having business voicemail messages so important?
Businesses need to present a professional tone to interested clients; if you seem amateurish or unwilling to care about the little details, it’s likely that they’ll pass you by. One of the best ways to start off on a good foot is with an appropriate voicemail script. The main reasons to have a good greeting are:
- Coming across as a professional.
- Being able to immediately provide information to callers.
- Cutting down on the number of callers who actually need to speak to a person. If you write your voicemail script right, you may never need to be one of those people who go about answering a business phone.
- Keeping callers attended to during after-hours when a receptionist isn’t available
- Being able to mention recent successes. It’s *your* voicemail message after all- it doesn’t hurt to remind callers who *you* are!
- Encouraging call-backs: Motivate callers to leave messages, ensuring follow-up communication.
- Customized for seasons or events: Update greetings for holidays or special events, showing attention to detail and current engagement.
Tips for creating a business voicemail greeting
- Write a script ahead of time – Nothing sounds worse than a business voicemail message with a bunch of pauses and “uhhhh”s that ruin customer expectations. A simple business voicemail script can help to avoid this.
- Prepare yourself and your surroundings – If you plan to record yourself, make your space quiet, without background noises. Test the mic, do a few takes. See what you can improve but give it a practical eye — don’t just roll your eyes at “how weird my voice sounds”.
- Mention key facts about your business – Many business callers just want to find out things like opening hours. By including information like this on your business line, many callers won’t need to actually speak to you
- Make it unique – Try to avoid cliched and standard phrases. They make your business communication strategy seem impersonal and uncaring.
- Keep it (relatively) short – While you shouldn’t make your voicemail only seconds long, you shouldn’t approach a minute either. The best is to shoot for about 30 seconds
- Listen to your business voicemail sample recording before you’re finished – Make sure you are audible and that you are not speaking too quickly or too slowly.
- Don’t forget to update – Often we run short on time, and Christmastide tends to spill over into Eastertide. Don’t let that happen here! An outdated version of information, music, etc. can make your callers believe that your company is either negligent or has gone out of business.
- Include a friendly sign-off – End with a warm, courteous closing that leaves a positive impression and encourages interaction, such as “Thank you for calling, we look forward to speaking with you soon.”
How knowing your audience can help create a perfect voicemail greeting
Your voicemail is like the welcome sign on the door of your business. You wouldn’t want one that wards off potential clients – you’d want something that reflects your business ideals, looks inviting and keeps a professional tone.
To give the appropriate sort of welcome to your callers, approach your voicemail message like you would bigger customer experience content: analyze your audience and goals. As each industry is special, your goal is to find the “golden ratio” of flexibility for your specific audience.
Here are several things to consider regarding your audience:
- Industry or niche: how much of a business “dress code” does your client communication involve? Remember that even in formal business areas, a polite personal touch is always welcome.
- Target audience age: are you part of an industry catering specifically to millennials, senior citizens, or perhaps Gen Z-ers? You might want to spice up/tone down your message accordingly. Read into a sample helping of messages to get a tone right for you.
- Geographical and language preferences: if your business is serving a national audience (for example, you have an online shop) it makes sense to follow the example of caring business owners nationwide who go the extra way of adding bilingual voicemail greetings. Consider English/Spanish business voicemail pairs for the U.S. and English/French for Canada.
How to set up business voicemail
Setting up a voicemail for business varies depending on the kind of phone you are using. With VoIP online numbers, a business owner or employee can usually go to their central web portal or mobile app to change the telephone greeting for the business number when setting up their voicemail for business. But for many cell phones, it works like this:
- Go into “Settings” or tap the “Phone” icon
- Tap voicemail, and press 1 or 0
- Oftentimes a password will be required (you should have set one up previously). Input that.
- Record the proper new message, and (usually) press 1 or 0 again to save it.
50 business voicemail greeting examples
Below is just a small sample of the many ways you can make it interesting for your callers to leave a message at the beep! To download any of the audio files, click on the menu (three dots) and select “Download”.
General voicemail examples
1. Hey, I’m not at the phone at the moment but rest assured I’m hard at work and willing to work with you. If you leave your name and number I will get back to you as soon as I can.
2. Greetings! You’ve reached [Name] but unfortunately I can’t pick up. Please leave your preferred contact information and I’ll respond [by certain time].
3. This is [Name]’s inbox. Thank you for your call. Alas I’m currently occupied but if you leave your name and number you will receive a call back.
4. Hey there, you’ve reached [Name]. Hope you’re having a great one. If you leave your name, bumber, and why you’re calling, I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”
5. Hey this is [Name]. As you can tell I’m currently unavailable but if you leave your info I’ll respond when I can.
6. Hey I’m currently not available. Please leave your name and number at the beep and I’ll get back with you.
For a general voicemail sample, there’s no need for overkill or to provide workplace information. If you want, you don’t even have to provide your full name for general examples; if the people actually know you, they’ll know who they’re talking to. But it’s always a good idea to at least mention your name.
Small business voicemail greeting examples
7. Hello hello! [You’ve reached {Company} but] Unfortunately we can’t come to the phone right now. But thank you so much for your call! If you leave your info we’ll get back to you as soon as humanly possible.
8. Hello friend! It’s callers like you who are the lifeblood of [Small Business’ Name]. That means your needs are important to us. Leave us your name and number and they’ll be addressed as soon as we are able.
9. Hello there! It’s good to hear from you and we hope you’re having a wonderful day. We’re probably helping a client at the moment, so if you just leave your name and number at the beep we’ll be sure to get back with you.
Don’t be afraid to be extra friendly with your small business voicemail greeting. People like to feel that their small businesses are local and personal- doesn’t hurt to lean into that!
Short voicemail greeting examples
10. This is [Name]. Please leave a message, thanks.
11. You’ve reached [Name]. Leave your name and number and I’ll get back to you.
12. This is [Name], sing your song at the beep!
If you’re making a purposefully short voicemail, just leave the basic instructions. People usually know the rest. But be sure to keep it polite. A courteous answering service is always best when it comes to what could be the best business voicemail greeting.
Cell phone voicemail examples
13. You’ve reached [Name]’s cell. If you’re trying to reach me at work, my number is [Number]. Otherwise, leave your name and contact info and I will get back with you.
14. This is [Name’s] mobile phone. If this is a work related call, please try contacting me at [Work number]. If not, leave your information at the beep.
15. Hi [this is {Name}], thanks for the call. Please leave your name and number.
Some of these make clear that the person is contacting a cell phone. Sometimes that’s best, but if you’re the type of person who does not really care about things like that, there’s nothing wrong with leaving that sort of information out of your answering machine.
Business voicemail greetings during opening hours
16. Hey you’ve reached [Company Name]. Today we’re open [Insert Hours Here], so come on by! If you can’t manage a trip, leave your name and number and we’ll get back to you at the earliest opportunity.
17. This is [Company Name]. Thanks so much for giving us a call. Today we’ll be open until [insert closing time]. If you have a more specific question, leave us your information and we’ll get it answered.
18. Hello, [you’ve reached {Company Name}]. We’re currently open so we might be helping a customer at the moment. Drop us your name and number and we will return your call.
It’s important to mention to callers in your business voicemail greeting that you’re open because it may facilitate a visit; maybe that in turn will facilitate a purchase. The best of all business voicemail greeting examples are the ones which can turn a call into cold cash and, even better, into a long-term and returning customer.
Voicemail greetings for after business hours
19. You’ve reached [Company Name]. We’re currently closed but will re-open tomorrow [Time of Day] at [Time]. Leave us a message and when we open up we’ll be sure to address your call.
20. Unfortunately, we [at {Company Name}] have gone home for the day. But rest assured we’ll be back and hard at work the next business day [at {Time} tomorrow or whenever the business is next open]. For pressing matters, leave a message and we will answer it first thing when we can.
21. Currently, [Company Name] is closed and will re-open at [Time]. While we cannot answer calls now, we will be sure to return them in the order they were received, so make sure to leave your name, number, and reason for calling at the beep.
If your business operates nationally or internationally and you need to take into account different time zones, in your business voicemail greeting let your callers know the timeframe of when to expect a return call. This way callers won’t feel abandoned if your business hours differ when operating from a different state or country.
Main office greetings
22. Greetings, you’ve reached the main desk [of {Company Name}]. Leave a message at the beep and be sure to include the name of the person you’re trying to reach.
23. This is the main office at [Company Name]. Unfortunately, we’re currently unable to take your call. Please leave a message with your name and number and any other key information.
24. We at [Company Name] care about your concerns. Please leave a message with any important info and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
It might be a good idea when working at the main office to nudge the person into leaving the name of the person they’re trying to reach as part of their outgoing message–you want to avoid them leaving something generic–but if your company has a different policy for the main office, then pay it no mind.
Department specific greetings
25. You’ve reached [Name] at the [Department Type] Department. Please leave a message. Thanks.
26. Hey, [Name] here in [Department Type]. Leave your name and number and I will get back with you.
27. This is the [Department Type] at [Company Name]. Please leave your name and number and one of our associates will get back with you as quickly as possible.
It’s oftentimes a good idea to state clearly what department the person is speaking to. If they’ve pressed the wrong button they may have unknowingly been sent to the wrong area by an auto attendant, and professional voicemail greetings should be prepared for this eventuality.
Greetings for specific team members
28. Hey-howdy-do! This is [Name] at [Company Name]. I’m not at my phone right now but if you leave your information and why you’re calling I’ll be sure to get back with you.
29. Hey there, [Name] at [Company Name] here. I’m unavailable to take your call, but if you leave a brief message I’ll be sure to make time for you.
30. Hi, you’ve reached [Name]. I currently can’t talk. Please leave a message at the beep and I’ll return your call.
While the latter of these is more serious, it’s not a bad idea to give your voicemail recording some personality; this is the first most callers will ever hear of you, so it’s not a bad idea to leave a good first impression. This isn’t just the company voicemail greeting, after all- it’s a person’s.
Customer service voicemail greetings
31. Hi, you’ve reached Customer Service. Leave a message with your question, comment, or concern and we’ll get back with you ASAP.
32. This is [Name] at [Company Name]’s Customer Service. We’re currently servicing other callers but if you leave your name and number we’ll call you at the first available opportunity.
33. Thanks for calling Customer Service. All of our operators are currently busy assisting other callers. Please leave a message with your name and number, as well as the reason you’re calling. Thank you!
When you’re working with Customer Service you’re essentially leaving a corporate greeting- as in you’re representing the company at large to people who may be more annoyed than usual. It’s a good idea to come across as kind and, at the risk of sounding redundant, good.
Out of office voicemail greeting examples
34. Hi, this is [Name]. I’m out of office until [Date or time of return]. Please leave a message with your name, number, and reason for calling, and I will get back to you as soon as I get back to work.
35. You’ve reached the voicemail of [Name]. I’m currently out of office and will not be returning until [Date or Time of return]. Please leave a message with all relevant information and I will get back with you in order of messages received when I return to work.
36. Greetings. I’m currently out of office and cannot receive calls. If this is a time-sensitive call, please dial [Alternative number here]. Otherwise, please leave a message with your name and number. Thanks and have a good one.
It’s very important that you let people know when you’ll be returning to work from being out of office. Otherwise you might end up with a bunch of calls from the same person, clogging up your day. Not a fun way to start back at work! You may also want to provide an emergency telephone number.
Business closed voicemail message
37. Hey this is [Name]. I’m not at work right now but will be back when we re-open at [Time]. If you leave a message with your question and your number, I’ll be sure to get back with you.
38. Thanks for calling [Company Name]. Unfortunately we’re currently closed but will re-open [at {Time}] tomorrow, when we’ll be able to answer your questions. To make sure we get back with you, leave your name and number.
Like mentioned before, make sure to point out when you’ll next be open on your company’s business voicemail.
Personal voicemail greetings
39. Hey this is [Name]. Sad to say but it seems that I can’t take your call. So leave your name and number to make sure I can call you back!
40. You’ve reached [Name]. I currently can’t answer the phone but can receive messages; why not leave one?
41. Thanks for calling. Alas I cannot respond at this given time, but be sure to leave a message to make sure I can give you a ring in the future.
Like the aforementioned specific greetings, make sure to make this a little bit more personal. They are personal voicemail greetings after all, not professional voicemail greetings. Voicemail ideas for work will differ from individual ones, so tweak the script according to your personality!
Professional voicemail greetings
42. Thank you for calling [Company Name]. Our lines are currently busy or we are otherwise unavailable. Please leave your name, number, and reason for calling. Have a nice day.
43. Greetings, [this is {Company Name}, and] we are grateful for your call. Unfortunately we are otherwise occupied at the moment. Please leave us your name and number and we will return your call at the earliest possible time.
The information provided in professional greetings should be relevant to your industry and customers. Otherwise, keep the greeting short and polite.
Funny voicemail examples
44. [Name of Caller] work at [Name of Company], only to find your phone message. And I’ll call back, I’ll call back, as soon as I am able! (preferably sung in the rhythm of the original song)
45. This is [Last Name.] [First Name][Last Name]. I’m unable to take your call because I’m doing secret things. Leave your number and I’ll call back when those secret things are finished.
Don’t be afraid to fill your script with pop culture references when making funny voicemails, be they to songs or movies. They’ll make you seem like a real person.
Vocational voicemail examples
46. At a Construction firm: You’ve reached [Firm Name], where we’re hammering the competition and our prices. If you leave your name and number we’ll get back to you once we put our hammers down.
47. At a legal firm: Hey this is [Firm name], where we fight for you. Leave us your number, name, and a bit of information about why we’re calling so we can have the right associate call you back.
Some industries are more conservative than others and demand a sensitive approach. Here are more industry-specific examples and scripts with important tips on implementation.
Holiday voicemail greetings
48. For Halloween: Our prices are so low it’s downright spooky! Come see what all the fuss is about at [Company Name], but if you can’t, leave your name and number at the BOO and we’ll get back to you.
49. For Independence Day: Happy Independence Day! Please leave a message- but make sure to speak up over the fireworks!
50. For Thanksgiving: “Turkey in the morning and turkey at night means we’re too stuffed to come to the phone right now. Leave us a message and we’ll get to you as soon as we can get up off the couch again!”
There are lost of different holiday greetings and on-hold music and diversifying yours is always a great personal touch to stand out from all the other folks. Use holiday occasions to try different voicemail scripts for business.
How Do You Create the Perfect Voicemail Greeting
Now obviously, all of these are just some examples – there are plenty more ways to make it interesting for your clients when they leave a message. But the important thing is that you have something, you include some basic information, and you keep it relatively short.
To benefit from the practice of voicemail messages, you need a business phone system that makes recording, tweaking, and uploading sample voicemail greeting scripts as easy as possible. Not just for you, but for your whole team.
MightyCall provides such an answer for businesses. With simple, visually-based call flows, adapting your voicemail messages for different customers and even different times of day demands no tech knowledge and no hardware.
