There is a 97% chance that your office voice mail greeting stinks. That’s because there is a 97% it sounds exactly like this:
“Hello, this is (insert your name blurted out too quickly to understand). I am unavailable to answer your call at the moment, but if you leave your name and number, along with your message I will call you back as soon as possible. Have a great day!”
The 2.9% walk the fine edge of bland cheesiness, by putting “Make it a great day,” as the final sign off. And 0.1% have a remarkable voicemail greeting.
CLICK BELOW TO LISTEN – My Best Business Voicemail
What if when people hung up, they were telling their friends how professional, or crazy, or funny or unexpected your voice mail was? What if people called you back a second time and even a third time just to listen to your voice mail?
Isn’t that what you want? Don’t you want to be memorable in your customer’s eyes?
Hopefully you’re convinced by now that it’s time to change your voice mail greeting. The key to scripting your voice mail is to make sure it is consistent with your immutable laws, the rules that define your business. (NOTE: check out The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur if you want more about immutable laws)
Are you an ultraconservative firm? Then you better tune up the voice mail to a white glove level. Are you a high energy firm? Then that voice mail better bring some serious juice. Or are you a poke a little fun at life type fir? Then your voice mail better be like mine:
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN – My Best Business Voicemail
Your voice mail may be your first impression to a new customer. Do you have the guts to be true to who you are and make a voice mail that is consistent with it? If you do, the right customer will be wowed.
Of course, you can stay status quo. Your competitors will appreciate it.
Make it a great day.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Mine- Hi this is John from American Workbench, I’m sorry to greet you with a recorded message. Please leave your name, Date, and time of call. Take as long as you need and I’ll get right back to you. Once again, I’m sorry that I couldn’t greet you personally, Have a Great Day!- I have had more compliments with that one over the years.. P.S. I’m that one guy that bought your Book!
My Greeting has Gotten Great comments over the years: Hello, this is John from American Workbench, I’m sorry to greet you with a recorded message. Please leave your name, date and time of call. Take as long as you need and I’ll get right back to you. One again, I’m sorry that I couldn’t greet you personally, have a great day!- P.S. I’m the guy that bought your book ;0)
Mike, your voicemail is hilarious!!!!!!!!!!!!! You’re right. I listened to it several times!
Thanks! And awesome!!!!
This is the one I’ve been using for the past few months. I got mixed responses. Some said they got a kick out of it, and some said it’s way too long. http://puppetkaos.com/mp3s/KKStyle2.mp3
I love it! So funny. I have got complaints that mine is too long. It is funny the first time, but for people who call regularly…. its no good. So I am going to change mine to say in the begging push 1 to skip.
That’s awesome! Of course, now my wheels are turning. What will my voicemail be? By the way, you’re right about the sticky factor with being memorable. Just a couple of hours ago, I sent a couple of coaches to your homepage to listen to the pronunciation of your last name.
Sabrina – Can’t wait to see you in April!!!!! And thank you for sending people to the site. You rock, Doc.
I run a voice over company (http://proudvoices.com) and we do alot of business providing professional voicemails to companies and individuals.
We did one voicemail recently that hits it out of the park as far as being memorable:
http://proudvoices.com/mp3s/Kelly_Woods_VoiceMail__SeanConneryesque.mp3
http://proudvoices.com/mp3s/Kelly_Woods_VoiceMail__MorganFreemanesque.mp3
I have read some good stuff here. Certainly worth bookmarking for revisiting.
I surprise how much attempt you place to make any such magnificent informative site.