Voicemail Greeting Examples: 34 Professional and Business Scripts

A good voicemail greeting tells callers who they reached, when they will hear back and what to do if it can't wait. Below are 34 scripts you can read out as they are, grouped by situation. Replace the parts in square brackets with your own details. Want one written for you? Use the free voicemail greeting generator.

The short answer

Keep it under 30 seconds. Say your name or business, say why you can't answer, ask for a name, number and reason, and say when you will call back. Offer another route for anything urgent.

How a voicemail greeting is built

Most good greetings follow the same five steps:

1. 1Who they reached: your name, or your business and team.
2. 2Why you can't answer: on another call, closed, away.
3. 3What to leave: name, number and a short reason.
4. 4When you'll reply: a real promise, such as "within one business day".
5. 5What to do if it's urgent: another number, a website or an email address.

Read it out slowly, smile while you speak, and record in a quiet room. Listen back once before you save it.

Professional voicemail greetings

These suit a direct line, a consultant or anyone answering for themselves at work.

1. Standard professional

“Hi, you've reached [name] at [company]. I can't take your call right now. Please leave your name, number and a short message, and I'll call you back within one business day.”

2. On another call

“Hi, this is [name]. I'm on another call or away from my desk. Leave your name and number and I'll get back to you today.”

3. Short and direct

“You've reached [name]. Please leave a message and I'll return your call as soon as I can.”

4. With an email alternative

“Hi, you've reached [name] at [company]. Leave a message after the tone, or email me at [email] if that's easier. I reply to both within one business day.”

5. Personal-professional (one number for both)

“Hi, this is [name]. I can't get to the phone right now. Leave your name, number and what it's about, and I'll call you back.”

6. Sales

“Thanks for calling [name] at [company]. I'm with a client right now. Leave your name, number and the best time to reach you, and I'll call you back today.”

Business voicemail greetings

These suit a main line or a shared business number.

7. Main business line

“Thank you for calling [business]. We're helping other customers right now. Please leave your name, number and how we can help, and we'll call you back within [time].”

8. Small business, owner-run

“Hi, you've reached [business], this is [name]. I'm with a customer at the moment. Leave a message and I'll call you back as soon as I'm free.”

9. With your website

“Thanks for calling [business]. You can book, check prices and find answers at [website]. Or leave your name and number, and we'll call you back.”

10. Department menu

“Thank you for calling [business]. For sales, leave a message after the tone and our sales team will call you back. For support, please email [email] or visit [website]. For anything else, leave your name and number.”

11. Call volume is high

“Thanks for calling [business]. We're busier than usual today, so we missed your call. Leave your name and number and we'll call you back in order, usually within [time].”

After-hours greetings

12. Standard after-hours

“Thank you for calling [business]. We're closed right now. Our hours are [days] from [open] to [close]. Leave your name and number and we'll call you back the next business day.”

13. With an emergency route

“You've reached [business] after hours. If this is an emergency, please call [emergency number]. Otherwise, leave a message and we'll call you back when we open at [time].”

14. Weekend

“Thanks for calling [business]. We're closed for the weekend and back on [day] at [time]. Leave a message, or book online at [website].”

15. Lunch break

“Hi, you've reached [business]. We're on our lunch break and back at [time]. Leave your name and number and we'll call you back this afternoon.”

Holiday and out-of-office greetings

16. Public holiday

“Thank you for calling [business]. We're closed today for [holiday] and open again on [date]. Leave a message and we'll call you back then.”

17. Year-end break

“Thanks for calling [business]. We're closed from [date] to [date] for the holidays. Leave a message and we'll get back to you when we return. Happy holidays.”

18. Vacation, personal line

“Hi, this is [name]. I'm away until [date] with limited access to messages. For anything urgent, please call [colleague] on [number]. Otherwise, leave a message and I'll call you when I'm back.”

19. Out of office for the day

“Hi, you've reached [name]. I'm out of the office today and back on [day]. Leave your name and number and I'll call you then.”

20. Parental or long leave

“Hi, you've reached [name]'s line. I'm on leave until [month]. Please contact [colleague] at [number or email], who is looking after my clients.”

21. Training or conference

“Hi, this is [name]. I'm at a conference until [day] and checking messages once a day. Leave a message and I'll reply as soon as I can.”

Voicemail greetings by industry

22. Medical or dental clinic

“Thank you for calling [clinic]. If this is a medical emergency, hang up and call [emergency number]. To book or change an appointment, leave your name, date of birth and number, and we'll call you back.”

23. Salon or spa

“Hi, you've reached [salon]. We're with clients right now. Book online any time at [website], or leave your name, number and the service you'd like, and we'll call you back.”

24. Law firm

“Thank you for calling [firm]. Please leave your name, number and a brief description of your matter. Don't leave confidential details in this message. We return calls within one business day.”

25. Plumber, electrician or other trade

“Thanks for calling [business]. We're out on a job. Leave your name, address and the problem, and we'll call you back today. For an emergency, call [number].”

26. Restaurant

“Thanks for calling [restaurant]. We're open [days] from [open] to [close]. To book a table, visit [website] or leave your name, number, party size and time, and we'll confirm by text.”

27. Real estate agent

“Hi, you've reached [name] at [agency]. I'm showing a property right now. Leave your name, number and the address you're asking about, and I'll call you back today.”

28. Accountant or bookkeeper

“Thank you for calling [firm]. We're with clients right now. Leave your name, number and what you need help with, and we'll call you back within one business day.”

29. Agency or consultancy

“Thanks for calling [agency]. We're in client meetings. Leave your name, company and what you're looking for, and someone from the team will call you back today.”

30. Property manager

“Thank you for calling [company]. For an urgent repair such as a leak or no heat, call [number]. For anything else, leave your name, unit and message, and we'll call you back.”

Friendly and short greetings

31. Warm

“Hi, thanks for calling [business]! Sorry we missed you. Leave your name and number and we'll call you right back.”

32. Very short

“You've reached [business]. Leave a message and we'll call you back.”

33. Text-first

“Thanks for calling [business]. The fastest way to reach us is by text at this number. Or leave a message and we'll call you back.”

34. Bilingual

“Thank you for calling [business]. Leave your name and number and we'll call you back. [Same message in your second language.]”

Tips for recording your greeting

• Write it down first. Reading from a script stops the "um" and keeps it short.
• Stay under 30 seconds. Callers stop listening after that.
• Give a real reply time. "As soon as possible" promises nothing. "Within one business day" sets an expectation you can meet.
• Update it when things change. A holiday greeting left on in February tells callers nobody is paying attention.
• Record in a quiet room. Background noise sounds careless, even when the words are right.

Common mistakes

• Saying "your call is important to us" with no reply time.
• Listing a long menu of options on a voicemail.
• Asking for details you can't act on, or for confidential information.
• Forgetting an urgent route when your callers may have emergencies.

When an AI receptionist answers instead

A voicemail greeting asks the caller to wait. Many callers hang up and try the next business instead.

An AI receptionist answers the call itself. Evoriqa's voice agent answers from your own website and FAQs. It books appointments on your calendar, takes messages, and passes the calls you choose to a person. Every call is saved as a transcript. Voice is on every plan, including the Free plan, and your phone line comes from Telnyx or Infobip and is billed by them separately.

If most of your calls are the same questions and bookings, it is worth comparing with voicemail. If most need a person's judgement, a good greeting and a fast callback may be all you need.

Where to go next

• Voicemail greeting generator: three free scripts for your situation in seconds
• AI receptionist: an AI phone agent that answers every call
• After-hours answering service: cover nights and weekends without voicemail
• Answering service cost: human and AI prices compared