A good business voicemail greeting runs 15 to 30 seconds and covers four things: who the caller reached, why nobody picked up, what they should do now, and when they will hear back. Below are 25 scripts you can record as written, grouped by situation, plus the case for giving callers a faster option than a voicemail they may never leave.
Fewer callers leave voicemails than used to. Many hang up at the beep, and some of those people would happily send a text. That makes the greeting worth a few minutes of thought. It is the last chance to keep a caller who was about to call your competitor instead. The scripts below are short, plain and easy to copy. Most of them also tell the caller they can text the same number, which only works if your number can receive texts. We cover that setup near the end.
How to structure a greeting callers actually listen to
A greeting has to work for people who stop listening after about five seconds. Put the important information first.
- Identify yourself. Give the business name, and a person's name if it is a direct line. The caller needs to know they dialed correctly.
- Give a reason, briefly. "We're with other customers" or "The office is closed" is enough. Skip "your call is important to us." Everyone has heard it and nobody believes it.
- Give one clear next step. Leave a message with name, number and reason, or text this number. Two options is the limit. Five options is a phone tree.
- Set an expectation. "Within one business day" or "by 10 AM tomorrow." Only promise what you can actually keep.
- Route urgent calls (optional). Emergency line, after-hours service or 911 for medical practices.
How long should it be?
People speak at roughly 130 to 160 words a minute, so a 20-second greeting comes to about 45 to 55 words. Most of the scripts below fall in that range. Holiday and after-hours versions can run a little longer because they carry dates and an alternate number.
Recording tips
- Record in a quiet room with your phone about six inches from your mouth.
- Smile while you talk. Listeners can hear it, and it reads as friendly rather than fake.
- Say phone numbers slowly, in chunks: "five-five-five, one-two-three, four-five-six-seven."
- Re-record seasonal greetings on a schedule. A Christmas greeting playing in February looks worse than a generic one.
Office voicemail greeting examples (general business hours)
Use these on a main line during the day, when someone is usually around but busy.
1. Standard office "You've reached [Business name]. We're helping other customers right now. Leave your name, number and the reason for your call, and we'll get back to you within one business day. For a faster answer, text this number and we'll reply there."
2. Front desk, short version "Thanks for calling [Business name]. We can't get to the phone. Please leave a message or text us at this number, and we'll respond today."
3. Department line "You've reached the billing team at [Business name]. Leave your name, account number and a callback number, and we'll return your call within one business day."
4. Professional services "You've reached [Firm name]. We're in meetings with clients right now. Leave a detailed message and the best time to reach you, and a member of our team will call you back by end of day."
5. Busy service business "Hi, this is [Business name]. We're likely out on a job. The quickest way to reach us is a text to this number. Tell us what you need and your address, and we'll reply shortly. You can also leave a voicemail after the tone."
After-hours voicemail greeting examples
After-hours greetings should state your hours. The caller's next question is "when can I call back?"
6. Closed for the day "You've reached [Business name]. We're closed right now. Our hours are Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. Leave a message or text this number, and we'll respond first thing next business day."
7. With emergency routing "Thanks for calling [Business name]. Our office is closed. If this is an emergency, call [emergency number]. Otherwise, leave a message and we'll return your call when we open at 8 AM."
8. Medical or dental office "You've reached [Practice name]. Our office is closed. If this is a medical emergency, hang up and dial 911. To reschedule an appointment, leave your name, date of birth and phone number, and we'll call you back during office hours."
9. Weekend "You've reached [Business name]. We're closed for the weekend and back Monday at 9 AM. Leave a message, or text this number with your question and we'll get to it first thing Monday."
10. Answering-service handoff "You've reached [Business name] after hours. Press 1 to reach our on-call service, or stay on the line to leave a message for the office."
Holiday voicemail greeting examples
Name the reopening date, not just the holiday. "Closed for the holiday" leaves the caller guessing.
11. General holiday "Thanks for calling [Business name]. We're closed for [holiday] and will reopen on [day, date]. Leave a message and we'll call you back when we're back in the office."
12. Week-long closure "You've reached [Business name]. Our office is closed from [date] through [date] for the holidays. We'll return all messages starting [date]. For urgent issues, email [address]."
13. Thanksgiving "Happy Thanksgiving from [Business name]. We're closed Thursday and Friday and back Monday at 8 AM. Leave a message or send us a text, and we'll reply then."
14. New Year's "You've reached [Business name]. We're closed on New Year's Day and reopen [date]. Thanks for a great year. Leave a message and we'll be in touch."
15. Retail with holiday hours "Thanks for calling [Store name]. Our holiday hours are [hours]. We're closed on [dates]. For order questions, text this number and we'll reply during open hours."
Small business voicemail greeting examples
Owner-operators can be warmer and more personal. Callers often want the owner in particular.
16. Owner-operated "Hi, you've reached [Name] at [Business name]. I'm probably with a customer. Text this number or leave a message, and I'll get back to you today."
17. Salon or studio "Thanks for calling [Business name]. We're with clients right now. To book, text this number with the service and day you'd like, and we'll confirm your time."
18. Contractor or trades "You've reached [Business name]. We're on a job site. For a quote, text this number with a photo of the project and your address. For anything else, leave a message and we'll call back by end of day."
19. Restaurant or café "Thanks for calling [Restaurant name]. We're open [hours]. For reservations, text this number with your party size and time. For catering, leave a message and our manager will call you back."
20. Shop with a website "You've reached [Business name]. You can find our hours and order online at [website]. For anything else, leave a message or text this number."
Work voicemail greeting examples for sales reps and direct lines
Direct lines need your name and role, so a prospect knows the callback goes to the right person.
21. Sales rep "You've reached [Name], [title] at [Company]. I'm on another call or with a client. Leave your name, number and what you're looking for, and I'll call you back today. If it's quicker, text me at this number."
22. Out of office "Hi, this is [Name] at [Company]. I'm out of the office until [date] with limited access to voicemail. For immediate help, call [colleague] at [number]. Otherwise, leave a message and I'll respond when I'm back."
23. Account manager "You've reached [Name], your account manager at [Company]. Leave a message with your company name and question, and I'll get back to you within four business hours."
24. Recruiter "This is [Name] with [Company]. If you're returning my call about a role, leave your name and the best time to reach you, or text this number and we'll set up a time."
25. Inbound lead line "Thanks for calling [Company]. Everyone on our team is with customers. Text this number with your name and what you need, and you'll hear back in minutes during business hours. Or leave a voicemail and we'll call you back."
Why "text this number" belongs in your greeting
A caller who hangs up at the beep is often still willing to send a one-line text. A text also arrives in writing, so you can reply between other tasks without playing phone tag. That is why so many of the scripts above include it.
Some honest caveats:
- The number has to accept texts. A lot of traditional business lines are voice-only. If a caller texts a number that can't receive texts, the message goes nowhere and you look unreachable.
- Keep the voicemail option. Some callers are on landlines or simply don't text. Don't make texting the only option.
- Replying to business texts at any real volume needs carrier registration. US carriers filter unregistered business texting. Our 10DLC explainer covers what that involves, and 10DLC cost: every fee explained lists the fees.
Worked example: turning missed calls into conversations with Ready
We make Ready, so here is how this works on our platform. The numbers are assumptions chosen to show the math, not results from a real account.
Setup. Calls ring the Ready Dialer pad in the dashboard, or in GoHighLevel if you use it. If nobody picks up and the number doesn't forward, Ready answers with a short line ("Thanks for calling! Sorry we missed you.") and, when missed-call text-back is on, says a text is coming and texts the caller from your number. That text-back is billed like any text. You can't record your own greeting on a Ready number yet, so use the scripts above on your phone system. Replies arrive in the same Inbox as the rest of your SMS, on the same number. STOP replies are handled automatically. Note that the Ready Dialer handles live click-to-call and inbound calls. It doesn't drop prerecorded voicemails into anyone's inbox.
Assumptions for one month:
- 300 missed calls, each sent one text-back (one segment each)
- 100 of those callers text instead (one segment each)
- You reply once to each of them (one segment each)
- Another 60 callers are called back from the pad, averaging 3 minutes
Texting cost. Text-backs and replies you receive are billed like sent texts. That makes 500 segments × $0.0075, which is $3.75 in rate plus 500 × $0.0045 in carrier fees.
Ready's all-in prices per segment include the carrier fee but not screening: Scrub lists and Number validation, the two switches in Settings under Compliance, each add $0.003 per segment when switched on, shown as screening on your bill, and both are off by default. Unless you turn the opt-out footer off, the first text to each contact, and one again from time to time, also gets "Reply STOP to opt out" and your business name if the message does not already have them, so a text close to the segment limit can bill one more segment.
Callback cost. 60 calls × 3 minutes = 180 minutes × $0.025/min = $4.50. Each started minute is billed as a full minute.
Keep replies under 160 plain characters to hold each one to a single segment. A single emoji drops the limit to 70 characters. For reply wording, see our auto reply text message examples.
Getting live. Registration is handled in-app, and most approvals take 2 to 7 days. The first 20 texts are free one-to-one sends, so use them before you register, since they end once a registration is paid for. To send, you add a card and get a number, which is $2 a month with the first month charged when you get it. The quickstart guide walks through the steps.
If you already have a phone system you like and simply want a better greeting, keep it. The scripts above work on any system.
The practical takeaway
Pick the script closest to your situation and trim it to about 50 words. Say your name and hours first, and give one clear next step. If your number accepts texts, offer texting as the fast option and keep voicemail as the backup. Set a calendar reminder to swap in holiday greetings and swap them back out. If you want texts and missed calls in one inbox, you can sign up and try it with the free one-to-one texts.
FAQ
How long should a business voicemail greeting be? Aim for 15 to 30 seconds, roughly 40 to 75 words. Put your name and the next step in the first few seconds, because many callers hang up early.
What should a professional work voicemail greeting include? Your name or business name, a brief reason you're unavailable, one clear action (leave a message or text), and when the caller will hear back.
Should I mention texting in my office voicemail greeting? Yes, if the number can actually receive texts and you reply to them. If it's a voice-only line, leave texting out, or callers will send messages that never arrive.
How often should I update my voicemail message? Update it whenever your hours change, before every holiday closure, and right after you reopen. An out-of-date greeting tells callers nobody is paying attention.
Do I need 10DLC registration to reply to texts from callers? For ongoing business texting in the US, yes. Carriers filter unregistered traffic. On Ready, an account can send up to 500 texts a month before registering, and most approvals take 2 to 7 days.