Your professional voicemail greetings are probably not the first thing that comes to mind when you think about making the best first impression with your customers.
Still, in many cases, your voicemail message is one of the first things your clients may hear from you. A well-crafted voicemail message can leave a lasting impression and help you stand out, in addition to inspiring more engagement and overall improving your client relationships.
If you’re not sure how to record the perfect professional voicemail greeting, worry not.
In this post, we’ll:
- Share our best business voicemail script examples,
- Give you some tips and tricks for creating great voicemail greetings for work, and
- Go over the elements of the perfect professional voicemail greetings.
Let’s start.
- Sample formal professional voicemail greeting:
“Hello, you have reached [name of company]. We cannot take your call at the moment. Please leave your name and number. We will return your call as soon as possible. Thank you.” - Sample vacation professional voicemail greeting:
“Hi, you’ve reached [your name] at [your company]. Thank you for calling. I’m away on vacation until [date]. Please leave your name and number, and I’ll return your call when I come back to the office. Have a great day.” - Sample holiday professional voicemail greeting:
“Hi, you’ve reached [your name]. Our office is closed today due to a public holiday. Leave your name and number, and I will get back to you by the end of the day tomorrow. Thank you.” - Sample sick leave professional voicemail greeting:
“Hi, you’ve reached [your name]. I apologize for missing your call. I’m currently away on sick leave. Please leave a message, and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you for calling and have a great rest of the day.”
Table of Contents
Examples of great professional voicemail greetings
A professional voicemail message is a recorded message that lets the recipient know you are unable to take the call at that moment.
The focus of your voicemail message should be to make the caller feel appreciated and informed.
As it is prerecorded, you have the opportunity to:
- Craft it carefully,
- Make sure you include all necessary information, and
- Make it engaging.
Below you’ll find some of the best examples of different types of professional voicemail greetings.
Feel free to use these business voicemail script examples when recording your message or use them as inspiration and create your own.
Formal professional voicemail greetings
We’ll start with some examples of general, formal greetings that you can use for a variety of purposes.
#1 Short professional voicemail greeting
“Hello, you have reached [name of company]. We cannot take your call at the moment. Please leave your name and number. We will return your call soon. Thank you.”
If you want to record a short professional voicemail greeting, you’ll need only the basic elements of a business voicemail script.
For a short voicemail greeting message, like in the example above, you can start with a simple Hello and only basic information, such as the name of your company. You don’t need to go into too much detail about why you can’t take the call. However, you can still ask for their name and number with a promise of returning a call. Close with a polite Thank you.
#2 Polite voicemail greeting
“Hi, thank you for calling [name of company]. I am busy at this time. Please leave your name and number and I will call you back soon. Thank you for calling. Have a nice day!”
To keep your professional voicemail greetings short and polite, you can follow our script above and:
- Open with gratitude,
- Provide a bit more detail on why you can’t take the call,
- Ask for their information,
- Promise to return the call, and
- Close politely.
#3 Personal formal voicemail greeting
“Hello, you’ve reached [your name] at [company name]. I’m unavailable at this moment. Please leave your message after the beep. I look forward to connecting with you soon. Thank you and have a good day.”
Say you’re occupying a customer-facing position at a company. In that case, you’ll probably have to record your personal formal voicemail greeting for when you’re unable to take the call.
As in the example above, you can still keep it super short and formal as long as you include:
- Your name and company,
- Reason(s) for missing the call,
- A call to action, and
- A polite closing.
#4 Email option formal voicemail greeting
“Hi, this is [your name] from [company name]. Sorry for missing your call. Please leave a message after the beep. If you prefer email, you can write to me at [email address]. I will get back to you soon. Best regards.”
If you want to show your clients you’re willing to go above and beyond for them, you can start with your voicemail greeting message. This particular business voicemail script shows you’re willing to go the extra mile by offering to switch to their preferred method of communication.
#5 Detailed formal voicemail greeting
“You have reached [company name]. Our hours are [opening hour] to [closing hour], [first working day of the week] through [last working day of the week]. If you’ve reached this recording during office hours, all of our associates are busy at the moment, but we’re also looking forward to helping you, too! If you’re calling outside of business hours, we will contact you the next business day. Please leave your name, number, and a brief message detailing the best way to contact you, and we will get back to you as soon as we can.”
If you want your business voicemail greeting to stand out, you can go the super detailed route and offer every bit of information possible. Use our template above as a guide to record a formal voicemail message detailing everything from your office hours to reasons for missing the call.
Vacation professional voicemail greetings
Next up, we have compiled a couple of best examples of business voicemail greeting messages you can record before taking off on your vacation.
#6 Short vacation professional voicemail greeting
“Hi, you’ve reached [your name] at [your company]. Thank you for calling. I’m away on vacation until [date]. Please leave your name and number and I’ll return your call when I come back to the office. Have a great day.”
You have just a few minutes to record your vacation voicemail greeting before your flight takes off? Your best bet is to use the short and informative business voicemail script above. It sums up your most important information and includes a call to action as well as a polite closing.
#7 Simple vacation professional voicemail greeting with email alternative
“Hi, you’ve reached [your name], at [your company]. Thank you for calling. I’m away on vacation from [date] to [date]. If you need help with [x] while I’m away, please send me an email at [email]. Otherwise, please leave a message and I will return your call as soon as I get back to work. Thanks, and have a lovely day.”
If you’re looking for a simple and customizable business voicemail script, you can use our template above. It can be perfectly suited to both formal and casual business communications, plus, it lets you offer an email alternative to clients who need help with a specific critical issue.
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#8 Fun vacation professional voicemail greeting
“Hi, you’ve reached [your name] at [your company]. I’m currently living it up in Europe on vacation so I won’t be answering calls until I get back. Be sure to leave a message with your information so I can get in touch. Gracias!”
If your industry, position in the company, or the type of relationship with the callers allows, you can have more fun with your vacation voicemail greetings. Get creative with greetings in different languages or play around with puns, but don’t forget to still include all the necessary information.
#9 Formal vacation professional voicemail greeting
“Hello, you’ve reached [your name]. I’m currently on vacation, and won’t be back until [date]. Leave your contact information and I’ll get in touch as soon as I come back. Thank you for calling and have a great day.”
Unlike the previous example, this vacation business voicemail script takes the opposite, more formal approach to voicemail greeting messages. The voicemail greeting example above is perfect for when you’re leaving on vacation but your clients and your industry still expect you to uphold certain formal communication standards.
#10 Alternative contact vacation professional voicemail greeting
“Hello, this is [your name] from [your company]. Thank you for calling. I’m not in the office until [date]. In the meantime, you can contact [coworker’s name] at [email address] and they can answer any questions you have. Bye-bye.”
You can’t take the calls when you’re on vacation, but you know someone who can? This is the perfect opportunity to introduce your replacement and their contact information in your vacation voicemail greeting and take the guesswork out of your external communication.
💡 Pumble Pro Tip
If you are still in the beginning stages of vacation planning, you’ll need your manager’s approval before you book that vacation. If you’re not sure how to write a vacation request email, read the following blog:
Holiday professional voicemail greetings
Here are a few examples of voicemail greetings for the holidays. Draw inspiration from these and record a voicemail greeting message that’s a perfect mix of cheerful and professional.
#11 Formal holiday voicemail greeting
“Hi, you’ve reached [your name]. Our office is closed today due to a public holiday. Leave your name and number, and I will get back to you by the end of the day tomorrow. Thank you.”
It’s a public holiday, and you’re out of the office and happy. Yet, you don’t necessarily need to share this enthusiasm with your clients or any external parties that might try to contact you during this time. Whether this is an industry standard or a personal preference, you can use our template above and record a formal and informative holiday voicemail greeting.
#12 Personal holiday voicemail greeting
“Hi, thank you for calling [company name]. This is [your name]. We are closed today because of the public holiday. Leave a message with your information, and I will contact you as soon as possible. Have a great day.”
Want to keep it semi-formal but still throw in the holiday as the reason for not returning the call? Use our business voicemail script above as a template and record your ideal personal holiday voicemail greeting.
#13 Specific holiday voicemail greeting
“Hello and Merry Christmas. You’ve reached [your name]. If you’re listening to this voicemail, it means I’m out of the office for the holidays. Please leave a message with your name and number, and I will return your call as soon as I get back. Thank you and have a wonderful Christmas.”
If you feel extra festive and want to reference the specific holiday currently taking place (and add a holiday greeting), you can do so using our holiday voicemail greeting example above. You can use this template for any type of holiday you want, just make sure to replace the Christmas part with the name of the holiday you’re referencing, and you’re good to go.
#14 Holiday voicemail greeting with a return date
“Hi, you’ve reached [your name]. Thank you for calling. We’re closed for the holidays until [date]. Do leave a message and I will return your call when I get back. Happy holidays.”
Holiday leave dates can vary from office to office, even during the most popular and widely celebrated holidays. So, to not leave your callers guessing when you’ll be back in the office, we suggest recording a short holiday voicemail message that states the precise date of your return.
#15 Alternative contact holiday voicemail greeting
“Hello. Thank you for calling [company name]. Our team is currently celebrating the holidays and will return to the office on [date]. Leave a message and we’ll reach out to you as soon as we get back. If you have any questions, please feel free to email our support team at [email address]. Happy holidays.”
Finally, just because you’re leaving for the holidays doesn’t mean you don’t need to do your due diligence and leave your potential callers with a detailed (alternative) plan of action in your absence. The business voicemail script we offered above can help you achieve just that.
💡 Pumble Pro Tip
If the holidays are approaching and you’re not sure how to professionally wish someone a Merry Christmas or Happy New Year, take a look at our blog post:
Sick leave professional voicemail greetings
Unfortunately, chances are that most of us will find ourselves not feeling our very best physically or mentally at some point in our careers.
When you’re applying for your sick leave, be sure not to forget to record a quick professional voicemail greeting to let your clients know you won’t leave them hanging.
Here are some examples of professional greetings you can use when you’re out sick.
#16 Polite sick leave voicemail greeting
“Hi, you’ve reached [your name]. I apologize for missing your call. I’m currently away on sick leave. Please leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you for calling and have a great rest of the day.”
Even if you’re not sure when you’ll be back from your sick leave, it’s still imperative to keep your voicemail greeting as informative and polite as possible. Apologize for not being able to take the call and thank your clients for calling to show you appreciate them and value their time.
#17 Personal sick leave voicemail greeting
“Hello, this is [your name] at [your company]. I’m currently out of the office on sick leave. I’m not sure of the exact time I’ll get back, but I would love to return your call as soon as possible. Leave your information after the beep. Thank you for calling.”
If you’re in a customer-facing position within a company, you’ll need to record a personal sick leave voicemail greeting informing the clients of your current situation. Even if you can’t offer any precise details of your return, you still want to show professionalism and customer care.
#18 Email option sick leave voicemail greeting
“You’ve reached [your name] at [company name]. I’m on sick leave for the rest of the week. If you need urgent help, contact me at [email address]. If not, leave a message, and I’ll call you back. Thank you and goodbye.”
When you want to show your customers you’re willing to go the extra mile even on your sick leave, you can record a voicemail greeting message offering an email contact alternative for urgent matters.
#19 Short sick leave voicemail greeting
“Hello, this is [your name]. I cannot take your call right now, but please leave a message and I’ll return your call as soon as I come back from sick leave. Thank you.”
Depending on the severity of your condition, you’ll feel more or less inclined to go into detail in your sick leave professional voicemail greetings. In case you’re only willing to offer the bare professional minimum, you can use our business voicemail script above to record a short, professional sick leave message.
#20 Detailed sick leave voicemail greeting
“Hi, you’ve reached [name] at [company name]. Unfortunately, I can’t take your call as I’m on sick leave this week. But rest assured I’ll be back at work next Monday at [business opening hour]. Please leave a message and I’ll return your call first thing when I get back. For pressing matters, please give my manager [name] a call at [phone number].”
In case you have a set date for your return to work after a sick leave, you can communicate this in your voicemail greeting to let your customers know when they can expect a callback. Moreover, if your company policy allows, you can add your superior’s contact for urgent matters to show your clients you’re willing to go above and beyond.
💡 Pumble Pro Tip
Are you anxious about telling your boss that you need to go on sick leave? Read our blog post to find out more about how to call out sick, including examples of messages you can send to your boss:
Funny professional voicemail greetings
As mentioned before, if you work in a more informal setting, you may be able to add a funny touch to your voicemail greetings, like in the following examples.
#21 Cheeky voicemail greeting
“Hello, you’ve reached [your name]. I’m currently not taking calls because…well, I don’t feel like it. Leave a message and I’ll call you back as soon as possible. Thanks.”
Feeling sassy and thinking your clients will appreciate a funny twist to your standard voicemail greeting? Use our business voicemail script above to add some comic relief to your business communication.
#22 Bold, funny voicemail greeting
“Hi, this is [your name] at [your company]. I’m away from the phone, so you can leave a message after the beep. But, make sure it’s something actually important, I don’t want to waste my time. Thanks for calling.”
If your position, industry, and the nature of your client relationships allow, you can communicate your work-life boundaries with your clients in a funny way. Use our example above to record this borderline risky but all the more funny voicemail greeting. Be sure that your tone of voice reflects your intention, otherwise, people can take your words seriously.
#23 Funny vacation voicemail greeting
“Hi, this is [your name]. I’m away on vacation and I really don’t want to come back to a million messages. So, if you have something to say, make sure it matters. Leave a message after the beep. Thanks.”
Our example above is another professional voicemail message that sets clear expectations regarding your availability during vacation in a funny way. Use the funny business voicemail script above when you want to share the fun vacation vibes with clients and other external contacts you know will appreciate it.
#24 Funny challenge voicemail greeting
“Hello, you’ve reached [your name]. I’m not in the mood to talk, but if you start your message with a nice compliment, I may just call you back. Thanks for calling and have a great day.”
If you want to challenge your callers to think of something nice and fun to say before getting down to business, use our template above and encourage some funny exchanges.
#25 Creative business voicemail greeting
“Hello, you’ve reached [your name]. If this is Jack from HR calling, don’t even bother leaving a message, I don’t want to talk to you. If it’s anyone else, please leave a message with your name and number and I will call you back as soon as possible. Thanks.”
When you know your clients can appreciate an unexpected funny twist in your voicemail greeting, there’s really no limit to what you can say. The script above can serve as a great inspiration and starting point to get the creative juices flowing.
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However, always remember to stay professional and don’t get carried away with these types of messages.
Not everyone will appreciate your sense of humor, and it can be received negatively.
With these types of messages, make sure to put a smile on your face to sound cheerful and not annoyed.
If there’s any chance you may offend a caller, opt for a more professional greeting instead.
Etiquette tips for professional voicemail greetings for work
After going through these examples of professional voicemail greetings, you’re one step closer to recording your perfect message. Let’s go over a few etiquette tips to make sure you know what is expected of you in a professional setting.
Tip #1: Update your voicemail with new information
If you’ve recently switched positions or changed your email address, don’t forget to update your voicemail greeting with the new information.
This will avoid any misunderstandings or missed messages.
Even if your information hasn’t changed, it’s a good idea to update your voicemail from time to time.
If you have clients who you talk to regularly, they will appreciate the change.
Tip #2: Check your voicemail regularly
Don’t just set it and forget it.
Make sure to stay on top of all of your missed calls and messages.
Make it a habit to check your voicemail first thing when you come into the office, or set a reminder for some other time in the day.
This will ensure that you never miss any important messages and show the caller that you’re on top of your game.
Tip #3: Don’t ignore calls
We’re all guilty of it. You’re sitting there and you hear your phone ring, but you really don’t feel like taking the call right then and there.
That can sometimes be the right thing to do, especially if you are overwhelmed, but don’t make it a habit. It’s easier to pick up the phone when you can than to have multiple missed calls that you need to catch up on later.
Therefore, if you can answer the phone, do it.
Tip #4: Be aware of your environment
When you’re recording your message, look around you.
Is there a paper shredder going or colleagues chatting in the office? Make sure to get away from any noise.
You should be in a quiet environment to avoid distractions and background noise.
Be especially mindful of any background chatter, as that can blend in with your voice and make it hard to distinguish.
Tip #5: Be polite and professional
All in all, the most important thing to remember is to always be polite and professional.
Make sure to:
- Use appropriate language,
- Keep the message clear and concise, and
- Keep in mind that this is your chance of a good first impression.
Bonus tip: Write out your business voicemail script before recording
If you’re finding it hard to record a great voicemail greeting, why don’t you try writing it out?
If you’re not great at improvisation or the phone gives you anxiety, this may help. You may find it easier to write a business voicemail script you can read off rather than memorize it.
Use our examples, or come up with your own and write it down on a piece of paper.
When you hit record, you only have to read your message without thinking about it too much.
However, do be mindful of the way you read it.
Try to sound natural and spontaneous rather than rehearsed.
What are the elements of a short professional voicemail greeting?
Now that we have covered all the examples and tips for creating great voicemail greetings, let’s sum up what a professional voicemail greeting consists of.
Here are the main elements of a good and concise voicemail message:
- Your information. Include your name, position, the name of the company, and your office hours.
- A thank you and sorry. This simple gesture will make the caller feel appreciated and valued.
- Reason for missing the call. You don’t need to go into detail about why you’re not picking up, but if you have a straightforward excuse, use it.
- Alternate way of communication. If you’re in a position that requires you to be available 24/7, it may be a good idea to include an alternative way the caller can reach you.
- Nonverbal communication. Maintain a light and pleasant tone. Sit upright to sound more confident. Smile while you’re talking to lighten up your voice. Speak clearly and slowly.
- Reasonable length. Try to keep it under 30 seconds.
- Personal touch. If your position doesn’t warrant direct communication with important clients and most of your missed calls will be from colleagues — maybe you can get away with a more informal voicemail message.
- A call to action. This encourages the caller to take a specific action after listening to the voicemail message.
Conclusion: Always stay polite and professional
The tips and tricks in this blog post will surely help you craft the perfect professional voicemail greeting.
Use this as an opportunity to connect with your clients and showcase a professional and friendly attitude.
You can use our examples or take inspiration from them and write your own.
Just make sure you remember to:
- Be clear and concise,
- Maintain a polite and professional tone, and
- Stay on top of your inbox.
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