The best AI prompts to create business voicemail greetings

Today’s technology offers multiple ways to communicate with your customers. There are text messages, numerous social media channels, AI-powered chatbots, live chats, and email. So, where does that leave the good old-fashioned phone? In a recent study, YouGov discovered that phone calls are still king. In fact, 70 percent of customers still contact customer service via phone over other channels of support. What does that mean for your phone system? It better be on point, and AI can help. Enter AI generated scripts and voicemail greetings.

Why does your business need a voicemail script?

Sure, many people use and even prefer text messages in their personal life, but when it comes to business calls, you better believe voicemail is still the way to go. As a business, if you don’t have a good voicemail greeting, you risk customers hanging up and calling your competitors, who, guess what—do have a professional voicemail.

Customer service is so important these days and one way you, as a small business, can stand out from larger corporations is through voicemail. Giving customers the option to leave you a message, especially during times of high call volume, shows that you care and that you’re making every effort to connect with them–even if that means calling them back.

Components of a great voicemail script for business

As a rule of thumb, a good business voicemail greeting should be professional, clear, concise and consist of a few key features that:

• Identify the business
• State why you’re unavailable
• Provide details on where the caller can get more information
• Explain when you will be available
• Prompt the caller to leave a message
• Offer a timeframe when you will respond
• Give a friendly sign-off

How can AI prompts help with small business voicemail?

Just because you need good business voicemail doesn’t mean you have to do all the work. AI can help you improve your voicemail greeting. There are several types of voicemails that AI can provide:

• Voicemail greeting script: You can use AI to write a voicemail script and then record it yourself.
• Voicemail greeting generators: This is where AI provides the voice and script.
• AI-powered answering services: This is more along the lines of a virtual receptionist who answers and uses interactive voice response (IVR) to direct the call to the correct voicemail box through a series of voice prompts.

AI prompt examples to get the best voicemail scripts for business

So, how do you get AI to bend to your will and give you a voicemail message that stands out? It’s all about the prompt. Your prompt for AI should be as detailed as possible and explain the reason for the voicemail message, who the target audience is and the desired tone. Let’s look at some AI prompt examples and the AI-generated scripts they produced.

Prompt #1: General voicemail.

Prompt: Create a short, professional voicemail greeting for Ooma, a communications provider focused on VoIP for businesses. Include our name and ask callers to leave a message with contact details. We will return calls within one business day.

AI response: “Hello, you’ve reached Ooma, a leader in business VoIP communications. Please leave your name, phone number, and a brief message, and we’ll return your call within one business day. Thank you for contacting Ooma.”

Prompt #2: After-hours voicemail for a dentist office.

Prompt: I need a 30-second, professional voicemail greeting for a dentist’s office. It should explain that we are closed because it is outside of our office hours (9-5) and explain what to do if it’s a dental emergency. Please also include our name, our website if they want more information and prompt callers to leave a message with their contact details. We will return calls on the next business day.

AI response: “Hello, you’ve reached [Your Dental Office Name]. Our office is currently closed, as our regular hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you’re experiencing a dental emergency, please hang up and call our emergency line at [Emergency Number], or seek immediate medical attention. For more information about our services, visit us at [YourWebsite.com]. Otherwise, please leave your name, phone number, and a brief message, and we’ll return your call on the next business day. Thank you for calling.”

Prompt #3: Holiday voicemail in a humorous tone.

Prompt: I need a 30-second voicemail in a tone that is funny, jovial and warm for the holiday season. Please explain who Ooma is and that we are closed for the winter holidays. We will reopen in the new year, on January 4th at our regular time. Please also include our website if they want more information and prompt callers to leave a message with their contact details.

AI response: Hi there! You’ve reached Ooma — your friendly neighborhood experts in keeping business phones ringing smoothly. Right now, we’re off decking the halls, sipping eggnog, and maybe sneaking a cookie or two, so our office is closed for the winter holidays.

We’ll be back bright and early on January 4th, ready to help you connect like never before.

Meanwhile, feel free to visit Ooma.com for all the info you need.

Please leave your name, number, and a message after the beep, and we promise to get back to you faster than Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve. Happy Holidays!

Prompt #4: Emergency closure.

Prompt: Create a voicemail script for Ooma announcing a temporary closure due to the storm that came through and caused a widespread power outage. The message should include that we hope to reopen on Wednesday, as predicted by local services. Please give instructions on how to reach a designated emergency contact for urgent matters related to the disaster. You can also include our website in the meantime.

AI response: Hi, you’ve reached Ooma. Due to the recent storm and widespread power outages in the area, our office is temporarily closed. We’re closely monitoring the situation and, based on local service updates, we hope to reopen on Wednesday.

For urgent matters related to the storm or disaster response, please contact our designated emergency support line at [Emergency Contact Number] or email us at [Emergency Email Address].

In the meantime, you can visit Ooma.com for helpful information and updates. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to restore normal operations. Stay safe, and we’ll talk soon.

Sales call prompts

On the flip side, a professional might want to use AI-generated scripts for calls to potential customers, where the idea is that the message prompts the potential customer to take action and call back. Take a look:

Prompt #5: Sales call voicemail.

Prompt: I need help writing a brief sales voicemail for Ooma targeting small businesses about Ooma Office. I need to make sure the customer calls back. Please highlight a key benefit, such as our low price point and fast internet calling, and include a call to action that prompts them to act.

AI response: “Hi, this is [Your Name] with Ooma! I’m reaching out to show you how Ooma Office can save your small business money—starting at just $19.95 a month with fast, reliable internet calling and no contracts.

We’re helping thousands of businesses sound more professional and stay connected without the big phone bill.

Give me a quick call back at [Your Phone Number]—I can show you how much you could save in just a few minutes. Again, that’s [Your Phone Number]. Talk to you soon!”

AI prompt tips

When working with prompts for AI, it’s important to remember that while AI is useful, it’s up to you and your prompts to make the most out of it. Here are some basic tips to help fine tune your AI prompts:

• Be specific. The more specific your prompt, the more targeted your script will be.
• Ask open-ended questions. If you ask a yes or no question, you’ll get a yes or no as an answer, and for a voicemail script, you want more. Frame your prompts as open-ended so AI can generate the best possible script.
• Check the script. Don’t blindly use what AI generates. It can make mistakes. It’s best to check the script and verify facts as needed.
• Don’t be afraid to refine your prompts for AI. If your AI response isn’t exactly what you were hoping for, ask follow-up questions, give follow-up prompts and keep at it until you get exactly what you want.

Whether you have a landline or VoIP phone system, using AI prompts makes it easier than ever to get a professional voicemail greeting script and present a professional image when your customers call in.