Church Voicemail Ideas
- Many churches put a lot of thought into their voicemail recordings.church image by pearlguy from Fotolia.com
No matter the religious affiliation, most churches are designed to welcome new people, encourage community participation and help people grow spiritually. Many churches do not have 24-hour staff and they receive phone calls at all times of the day and night. The chosen outgoing voicemail greeting can be very important when the church is closed. There are many things the voicemail message should include. - All church voicemails should clearly communicate the basic information about the church address and directions, church hours, and times of worship. Newcomers or visitors to area might make calls on Saturday evening because they want to join your congregation on Sunday. The voicemail message should provide all the pertinent information to help them know when and where they may attend the next day's service. Churches with websites should give the website address in the voicemail as well.
- Church voicemails should encourage and invite potential congregation members to the service. The voicemail may include the topic of the sermon and should clearly state, "Thank you for calling <CHURCH NAME>. We invite you to join us this <DAY, DATE and TIME>." The voice tone should be pleasant and friendly. The entire message is the potential church member's first impression of the minister and the church.
- Some churches are involved in different types of fundraisers, such as feeding the poor, building homes for the homeless or providing gifts for a needy family at Christmastime. If your church is hosting a fundraiser, be sure to leave information about it in your voicemail. The fundraising information should be at the end of the entire message before the caller hears the tone to leave a message. An example of this type of message is, "Don't forget that we are supporting <FUNDRAISER TOPIC>, and your contribution can help to make someone's life better. Please visit our website to learn more about how you can donate. Remember, your donation can be tax deductible."
- Some people call their churches after hours because they are in the middle of a crisis or emergency, such as a death in the family. Your outgoing voicemail message should provide instructions or alternatives if this occasion arises. Many churches leave an emergency phone number or pager number to reach the minister or church elder.
- Many church leaders don't realize the power of an inspirational message. Leaving a bible verse as part of the overall church voicemail message can convey the church's sense of community and compassion. Some churches change the inspirational message each week to fit the sermon topic. Others keep the same message that communicates the church's mission statement week after week.
