I use local business services for one time jobs around the house, and quite often I call at night, after normal business hours. This means I usually end up listening to the company's voice mail greeting. Sometimes, it's hard to tell if I dialed the right number, as the greeting doesn't state the business name, or there are dogs barking in the background, or the person speaking is difficult to understand. Unless it's the only service in my area, I hang up and move on to the next business.

The voice mail greeting is a representation of your company's image when you're not able to answer the call directly. You want customers to think of your business as a serious venture; otherwise, they are likely to deal with one of your competitors. Creating a professional voice mail greeting can help you to land more sales, improve your business image, and build customer loyalty.