Have you ever stopped to consider how many times a new prospect gets your voicemail before they have a chance to speak directly with you? Your voicemail greeting provides an excellent opportunity to create a first impression that can have an enormous impact on whether people decide to use your services. It can also be used as a dynamic marketing tool.

If the first time you called a CPA, Financial Planner, or Real Estate Agent, you heard a voicemail greeting that was energetic, educational and professional, wouldn't that set the proper tone for the rest of the relationship? Very few people take into consideration the full potential of the voicemail greeting!

Here are some suggestions for creative use of your voice message:

Leave your schedule for the day, including the time of day you can be expected to return calls.
Most people don't mind leaving a voicemail message if they know when you will be returning the call. This shows that you are very professional, organized, and busy in your daily practices. It makes it crystal clear that you've taken the time to structure your day.

Assess what would be important to a prospect that is calling you for the first time.
What would they want to know about you? What would they want to know about your profession? If you seek to teach in every interaction and form of communication that you have with people, you will be wildly successful regardless of what business you are in. If you are a Real Estate Agent, discuss the market trends in your local community over the past 30 to 60 days. If you are a CPA, share any new or potential changes in tax laws that might be hot topics in the news.

Use your voicemail greeting to promote philanthropic activities.
Announce activities you are involved in with your church, school district, clubs or other organizations. This creates a lasting impression that you are deeply rooted in the community.

Give people optional ways of communicating with you.
Provide your email address. Leave an alternative contact should they require immediate assistance, and be sure they know how to bypass the message and transfer to another extension within your system.