• Create an impressionable voicemail greeting so you present yourself well to your contacts.telephone set image by Astroid from Fotolia.com
  
  Most people with answering machines or cell phones decide to record a personalized voicemail greeting so callers know the voice of the person they've reached. Voicemails can be creative, professional and funny all at the same time. Record various voicemail greetings until you're comfortable with right recording. Write a basic script to help record a smooth greeting and avoid recording a greeting in a noisy place or places where you know reception can cut out frequently.
  
  

Professional Greeting

• Have a basic professional greeting that satisfies all types of contacts. If your cell phone is for personal use (not a business-provided cell phone) include your name and number in the greeting. A sample greeting could be: "You have reached the cell phone of Brian Young at 555-555-5555. Please leave your name, number and a message, and I will get back to you as soon as possible."
  
  If your cell phone is used to receive business calls (if you own your own business, for example), a sample greeting could be: "You have reached the cell phone of Down Home Music Instruments at 555-555-5555. Please leave your name, number and a message and an employee will return your call in the order it was received. We appreciate your business and have a great day."
  
  

Funny Greeting

• Funny cell phone greetings are creative and can stir up a buzz within your circle of friends or those who frequently contact you. These types of greetings should be reserved for cell phones where no business or professional contacts contact it for jobs or other professional matters. While it is up to the individual to determine what is funny, avoid anything suggestive or offensive in funny greetings. One funny greeting that catches caller's off-guard is to pretend like your voicemail is the beginning of a conversation. For example, this greeting could start: "Hello? (pause) Hey, what's up? (pause) Actually, I'm not here right now, so please leave a message or try calling back later." This can catch your friends off-guard and generate a laugh or two.
  
  

Holiday Greeting

• When your favorite holiday arrives, create a voicemail greeting that reflects the arrival of the holiday. Around Christmas, for example, you can sing your favorite Christmas song or use your own lyrics in place of your favorite Christmas song as the greeting message. If you wanted to record your own greeting to the tune of "Carol of the Bells," the greeting can be: "I am not here. Please leave your name. Your number, too. Have a good day. Happy Holidays."