Voicemail greetings · Contractors
Voicemail greetings for contractors
A contractor voicemail greeting should ask for the project address first, then whether the call is a new job or an existing site. Address tells you distance and often the house type. “Kitchen remodel” with no address is a message you cannot price.
Will Caraway · Colorado Springs ·
Replace anything in [brackets], read the greeting out loud once, and keep it under 30 seconds.
Independent pages behind the claims
- Verizon: how to use call forwarding — Verizon's own *71 / *73 codes for sending unanswered calls off voicemail
- AT&T: set up call forwarding on a wireless line — AT&T's **61* / **67* / ##004# codes from the carrier, not a recap blog
What should you ask callers to leave?
- Name and number
- Project address
- New project or existing job
- What the work is
What should a contractor's greeting ask for first?
6 recordings. Pick the one that matches the call sitting in the mailbox today.
“You've reached [Business]. We're on a job site and can't take your call. Leave your name, number, the project address and what you're looking to get done, and we'll call you back today.”
“Thanks for calling [Business]. If you're a current customer, leave your name and project address. If you're calling about a new project, leave your name, number and a quick description of the work. We'll call you back today.”
“Hi, you've reached [Business]. To set up an estimate, leave your name, number, address and what you'd like done, and a couple of times that work for a visit. We'll call you back to confirm.”
“Thanks for calling [Business]. We're booked up and out on jobs, but we return every call. Leave your details and the kind of project, and we'll get back to you within [one business day].”
“You've reached [Business]. We're closed for the day. Leave your name, number and project details, and we'll call you back tomorrow morning.”
“Thanks for calling [Business]. Customers, please leave your name, number and project address. Subs and suppliers, leave your company name and the job you're calling about. We'll get right back to you.”
A specific script tweak for the first week of spring
When the weather turns, call volume for exterior work doubles overnight. The default "we'll call you back today" greeting breaks on day three. Add one sentence for March and April: "We're booking spring projects two weeks out — leave your project address and we'll call back with a site-visit window." That one line stops the follow-up calls ("did you get my message?") and sets a realistic timeline for the caller.
Why a contractor greeting should ask for the address first
Address tells you distance, permit area, and often the type of house. "Kitchen remodel" without an address is a voicemail you cannot price.
Ask new jobs and current jobs to identify themselves. A supplier calling about a dumpster is not the same callback as a homeowner with a wet basement.
- New project: name, number, address, one sentence of work.
- Current job: name, address, and the issue on site.
- Subs and suppliers: company name and the job they are calling about.
In the first warm week of spring, drop "we'll call today." You will not. Say "we are booking site visits two weeks out." Honest timelines cut the follow-up calls.
New kitchen vs a leak in an existing job
Those two calls need different callbacks. The greeting should split them. Current customers leave the address. New work leaves the address and the scope.
A supplier calling about a delivery is not a lead. Give them a lane. "Subs and suppliers, leave the company and the job name."
In March I would add one sentence: site visits are two weeks out. That one line stops "did you get my message" on day four.
Riley asks for the project address and whether it is new work. She texts you both. You call the new kitchens first.
Why do contractors lose jobs to voicemail?
A homeowner calling three contractors for a kitchen bid is interviewing you, not leaving a message. The one who picks up gets the walkthrough. For the calls you can't take, Riley answers in your business's name, gets the address and project type, and texts them to you so you call back first.
What makes a contractors greeting work?
- Ask for the address; it tells you where, how far and often what.
- Separate new leads from existing jobs in the greeting.
- Return new-lead calls first; they're calling other contractors too.
Running a contracting company? See how Riley handles calls for contractors.