How to Record A Professional Voicemail and What To Include

What is a professional voicemail and why do you need one?

Any time you are away from the phone, there is always the potential that you will miss a client call. However, you may not have to miss out on the business opportunity just because you couldn’t answer the phone at that moment. I mean, let's be honest...who is standing by, ready to answer the phone 24 hours a day?

When a customer has reached your business voicemail it is because they are interested in potentially engaging your services. A good voicemail message could be the difference between a new customer waiting to hear back from you or moving on to one of your competitors.

By recording a professional well thought out business voicemail, you let new and existing customers know that they can depend on you to get back to them in a timely manner. This builds credibility for your business and establishes a professional company image. After all, a good first impression is more likely to gain you a potential customer than a sloppy one.

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Your business voicemail is different than your personal voicemail

So what is the difference between a personal voicemail and a business voicemail greeting? Well for starters, a business voicemail needs to convey key information about your business, such as business or office hours, and must give off a professional tone, whereas a personal voicemail may only need to convey who’s phone number has been reached. Additionally, the tone you use when recording your voicemail will vary between a personal voicemail and a professional one.

To learn more about what to include and things to consider when recording a professional voicemail, continue reading our how-to guide below!

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What to include in your business voicemail

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1. Name and Company Name

Start your voicemail by letting the caller know the name of your business and also your name if you'll be the one answering the incoming calls. This can help prevent customers leaving voicemails for the wrong business or person.

For example:

“Hi, this is Jonathan you have reached professional power washers of Tampa…”

2. Business Specialization (Optional)

You may also want to include a line about what your company specializes in. This can help customers get a sense of your expertise and if you're a good fit for their needs.

For example:

“...We provide the most comprehensive power washing services since 1992”.

3. Acknowledge the missed call

Make sure to sympathize with the customer and let them know that you are sorry for missing the call. Customers that know they are valued are naturally more likely to wait for a call back and to want to do business with you.

For example:

"...Sorry I'm unable to take your call at the moment. I'm either on the line with another client or on in the middle of another job."

4. Provide Reassurance

Reassure your customers that you will be getting back to them shortly and instruct them to leave their name and number for you to follow up with.

For example:

"...Please leave your name, phone number, and a brief message, and I will get back to you as soon as I can."

5. Add an alternative contact (optional)

Sometimes it might make sense to add an emergency contact in case a customer is unable to wait. You can include a partner or assistant's phone number to contact.

For example:

"...If you need to speak with someone immediately, please reach out to my partner, Timothy, at [phone number]."

6. Business Hours (optional)

Including your business hours can be helpful for customers that are simply calling for business information. This can also help customers to be more understanding if they are calling before or after your typical business hours.

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How to record the perfect voicemail

We’ve all heard the voicemail that sounds like the person is shouting, or maybe their voice is overshadowed by the sounds of heavy traffic nearby. Either way, don’t let a poor recording get in the way of great voicemail content! Follow these tips to ensure a seamless recording of your professional voicemail message.

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1. Record in a quiet place

Often times as a small business owner, not much thought goes into thinking about when and where to record the voicemail. Often times voicemails are hard to hear or are constantly interrupted with background noise.

You should find a quiet location and let people know that you will be unavailable while you are recording.  Also be aware of “white noise” such as fans and AC units in the background, which might sound louder in your recording then you might think.

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2. Use a professional and personable tone

Your tone conveys a lot about the personality of not only you, but of your business. It is important to sound professional but also enthusiastic about what you do. One trick you might want to try is to pretend that you are actually talking to a new customer when you are repeating the lines you have practiced. This can help you to sound less rehearsed and more natural.

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3. Control how fast you speak

One mistake that people can often make when recording themselves is to speak too quickly. Be sure to monitor your pace to catch any speeding or unnecessarily long pauses.

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4. Leave extra time after you finish your message

When you finish your recording, be sure that you have given yourself enough time so that your words are not cut off mid sentence. Similarly, it is helpful to have your phone laying on a flat surface so that you can avoid fumbling around for the "stop recording" button.

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5. Speak clearly

When speaking make sure to speak clearly and avoid speaking directly into the microphone. Keep the phone at least 6-12 inches away from your mouth to ensure the sound is not ruffled in the recording.

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Set Up Auto Reply Messages

While voicemails are great, they often do leave customers wondering when they will hear back from you. Getting a dedicated business line with automatic replies can help you engage even better with potential customers. For example through the ProPhone App, whenever you miss a call from a customer they will receive an automated SMS text message from you.

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Professional Voicemail Templates You Can Use

We have compiled some of the  best professional voicemail greeting examples to help you find what works best for your business.

"Hi there! You have reached Timmy with Timmy’s Electrician Service - serving the Atlanta area for over 25 years. Sorry I couldn’t get to the phone right now, but if you leave your name and number, I will get back to you as soon as I can.”

“Hey! You have reached Sheila with Sparkle Clean. I'm out on a job and unable to answer the phone right now, but if you leave me your name, number, and a brief message I will get back to you as soon as possible! Thanks and have a great day!”

“Hello, you have reached Lindsey’s Pressure Washing - the number one choice in pressure washing for the Miami area. Just leave us your contact information and we will look forward to getting back to you soon.”

“You have reached the voicemail of Keith’s Property Management. We are sorry we were unable to get to the phone at this time, but if you leave us your name and number we will get back to you shortly! Thank you for considering us for your property management needs!”

“Hi! You have reached Nathan’s electrician service. We are sorry we are unable to get to the phone right now, but we greatly value your business and if you just leave us your name and number we will give you a call right back.”

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Once you have drafted your voicemail script and recorded your message, be sure not to let those leads go to waste! Follow up ay messages with a return call as soon as you can.

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Manage Business Communications With ProPhone

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With a good understanding of how to create a professional voicemail, take your business communication to the next level with the ProPhone app. ProPhone allows you to create automatic replies, filters out spam, and keeps all your conversations in one place.

Ready to try try Prophone? Sign up today.

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