Fill in four things and we'll write three greetings you can read straight into your phone: one for the everyday missed call, one for after hours, and one for when you're tied up with work. The scripts are put together on this page, in your browser, and nothing you type is sent to us.
The generator needs JavaScript, which looks to be off. The twelve examples further down work the same way by hand: pick the closest one and swap in your details.
Write your greeting
What a good business voicemail says
The order matters more than the exact wording. Here's the order we'd use:
- The business name, first. It tells the caller they dialed the right number before they decide anything else.
- What to leave. Name and number, plus the one detail you'd ask for first on the callback. For a plumber that's the address. For a law office it's a good time to talk.
- When you'll call back. "By the end of the day" only beats "as soon as possible" if you actually call by the end of the day.
- Anything that jumps the line. If a leak or a tree on a roof gets a faster callback, say so, and ask the caller to put it at the start of the message.
What to leave out: a list of every service you offer, your website spelled out letter by letter, and "your call is very important to us." Each one makes the caller wait longer for the beep.
12 voicemail greeting examples for business
Written the way owners talk. Swap the bracketed parts for your own and read it out loud once before you record, since anything that trips your tongue will trip it again on the recording.
Plumber, on a job
“Hi, this is [your name] with [business]. I'm on a job and can't get to the phone. If water's coming through a ceiling, start your message with that. Otherwise, leave your name, your number and the address, and I'll call you back today.”
The address is the first thing you'd ask on the callback, so ask for it now.
Heating and air company, after hours
“You've reached [business]. We're closed for the night and open again at [time] tomorrow. Leave your name, your number and your address, and tell us if it's the heat or the air. Messages from tonight are the first calls we return in the morning.”
A caller who hears they'll be first in line tomorrow has a reason to leave a message tonight.
Roofer, the week after a storm
“Thanks for calling [business]. We've had a lot of calls since the storm, so it might take us a day to get back to you. If water is coming in right now, say that at the start of your message and we'll call you ahead of the inspections. Everyone else, leave your address and a good number.”
Being straight about the wait keeps people from calling back over and over. Take this one down when things calm down.
Lawn care company, holiday closure
“Hi, you've reached [business]. We're closed Thursday and Friday for Thanksgiving and back out on our routes Monday morning. Leave your name, number and address, and we'll call you back on Monday. Have a good holiday.”
Say the day you're back, then set a reminder to switch to your everyday greeting that morning.
House cleaner, text instead of voicemail
“Hi, this is [your name] with [business]. I'm usually in the middle of a cleaning when you call, and a text gets to me faster than a voicemail. Please text this number your name, your address and what kind of cleaning you need, and I'll get back to you tonight. If you'd rather talk, leave a message and I'll call.”
If your mailbox keeps filling up, this is the one to use, as long as the number callers dial is a cell that gets texts. Keep the message option at the end for the callers who won't text.
Auto repair shop, weekend
“Thanks for calling [business]. The shop is closed for the weekend and opens Monday at [time]. Leave your name and number, the year, make and model, and what the car is doing, and we'll call you back Monday morning.”
With the year, make and model in hand, you can look up parts before you call back.
Law office, with clients
“You've reached the law office of [attorney's name]. We're with clients or in court right now. Please leave your name, the best number to reach you and a good time to call. You don't need to go into detail on the message; we'll talk it through when we call you back. We return calls within one business day.”
A good time to call matters more here than a long message. The details come out on the callback.
Real estate agent, at a showing
“Hi, it's [your name] with [brokerage]. I'm probably showing a house. If you're calling about one of my listings, say the address, and let me know if you're already working with an agent. Leave your number and I'll call you back within two hours.”
The listing address tells you which property to pull up before you dial.
Personal trainer, in a session
“Hey, this is [your name]. I'm with a client, so I can't answer. Leave your name and number, what you're working toward, and the days and times you like to train, and I'll call you back between sessions today.”
Their usual times let you check your open slots before the callback, so the first call can end with a start date.
Tree service, out cutting
“You've reached [business]. We're out cutting and can't hear the phone over the saws. If a tree is down on a house or a car, say that first. If it's on a power line, call the power company too. Everyone else, leave your address and what the tree is doing, and we'll call you back today.”
Sorting the urgent calls in the greeting means the first few seconds of each message tell you which one to return first.
Photographer, away for a week
“Hi, you've reached [business]. I'm away until [date] and not checking messages. If you're asking about a date, say the date and the kind of shoot, along with your name and number, and I'll call you back the day I'm home.”
Someone asking about a date wants to know if you're free that day. With the date on the message, you can answer that on the first callback.
Tax preparer, busy season
“Thanks for calling [business]. It's tax season, and we're returning calls within two business days. Please leave your name and number, and tell us if you've filed with us before. If you only need to drop off documents, come by during our hours, [hours], with no need to call first.”
A callback time you can keep in the rush is worth more than a quick one you'll miss.
Recording it
- Find a quiet spot. Not the truck with the engine running, and not the shop floor.
- Read from the screen at the pace you'd talk to a customer at the counter. It's easy to rush the first take.
- Call your own number from another phone and listen to the whole thing. If you'd hang up on it, record it again.
- Change it back after a holiday or a vacation. An old "closed for Thanksgiving" message in December tells callers nobody's minding the phone.
On an iPhone, Apple's steps are to open the Phone app, tap Voicemail, then Greeting, and choose Custom to record a new one. In the newer unified layout of the Phone app, you get there through Voicemails, then Edit, then Edit Voicemail Greeting. On Android, Google's Phone app calls your voicemail when you open the dialpad and touch and hold 1; from there, follow the prompts.
When your calls come through VettedCalls
VettedCalls works by having your cell forward every call to us first, so the greeting a caller hears is ours, with your business name in it. A caller we don't know hears "Thanks for calling [business]. Who's calling, and how can we help today?" They answer and, unless it's a priority call, press 1 or 2 to be put through to you.
On Pro, your phone rings for up to 25 seconds. If you don't pick up, the caller goes to our voicemail and hears: "[business] can't take your call right now. Leave a quick message, your name and what you need, and someone will call you back as soon as possible." You get a text alert, and an email with the transcript and a link to play the message (attorney accounts skip the transcript and play the recording). On Receptionist, a missed call goes to the AI receptionist instead of voicemail, except priority calls and saved contacts, which still go to voicemail.
For what happens to a message once we take it, see voicemail to text. If you want to put a number on the calls that go unanswered, try the missed call cost calculator.