Resource Youmail.com allows for free customized voice mail greetings - Virtual Assistant Forums

Your Virtual Wizard · #1 (**permalink**) 09-19-2009

Hello,

I saw this on a real estate blog and thought to share this voice mail option here.

Youmail.com allows for all your unanswered calls to be forwarded to Youmail's number. So Youmail acts as your voicemail. Voice mails can be retrieved from your phone or online in an account you can set up.

So why is this a cool thing if your own phone already has voicemail?

Besides being free, you can customize voicemails per incoming caller ID number. This means you can have a greeting customized for that client. "Hello, Client, sorry I can't pick up your call, but I'll be glad to get back to you when I return. Oh, and I'll be sending you the XX file later this afternoon."

Or, if you stepped out of your office for the afternoon, but were expecting a call from a perspective client, you could say, "Hello you have reached XXX company, please leave a message, oh, and if this is Bill, I'll get back to you first thing when I return."

I took a look at the site and set this up on my cell phone which I use for my business. Set-up was easy. Youmail.com provides various greetings which can either be purchased or you can create your own message or upload your own wav file. Messages also come into Youmail.com website where they can be saved and/or replayed there.

I have never used Google Voice mail but this may have the same features.

There is also a $7 per month plan in which a live human actually transcribes the messages. This might be useful if a client asks for off-hours voice messaging that a VA cannot provide.

Janine

leedrozak · #2 (**permalink**) 09-19-2009

Janine,

Thanks for sharing this. I have been using Google Voice and it does have the same feature. I can forward to my home, cell or any other phone number I choose. The notification transmission stinks because half the words are wrong so I usually rely on the wav file for the message playback.

Your Virtual Wizard · #3 (**permalink**) 09-19-2009

Yes, I've seen comparisons to Google Voice vs Youmail and most say YM is better, but I cannot verify.

At least there is another option.

Janine

i-Virtual Assist · #4 (**permalink**) 09-19-2009

Thanks for the info. I have been searching.

Let Me Do It! · #5 (**permalink**) 09-23-2009

Janine,

Thanks for sharing this! Google voice is unavailable to me right now for some reason, and I thought I'd have to wait it out. I'm going to check out youmail.com!!!

Your Virtual Wizard · #6 (**permalink**) 09-23-2009

You're welcome, Tess M. Please stop back and let me know how you do with it.

Janine

cbranch · #7 (**permalink**) 09-25-2009

Thanks so much for sharing this information Janine! I am have set up my account and will record my greetings later. I is amazing all of the free resources that are out there for us small business owners. It's a great way to save money and spend money on the things that will really enhance our services (ie products, software and education). Thanks again!

micarter · #8 (**permalink**) 09-25-2009

This could not have come at a better time!! I had not had a land line in years and just got one through Cox in a bundle thing but it doesn't seem to have voicemail at all! So I was going to go out and get an answering machine. This is soo much better. You guys rock!

micarter · #9 (**permalink**) 09-25-2009

Aww, just went there to sign up and it is only for cell phones. I'm still signing up and you guys still rock! LOL

Kathya · #10 (**permalink**) 09-25-2009

Thanks for sharing this resource! I'm going to check it out!

Your Virtual Wizard · #11 (**permalink**) 09-25-2009

Yes, I didn't include that it only works with cellphones...not sure if the paid version applies to landlines.

Let Me Do It! · #12 (**permalink**) 09-25-2009

Janine & everyone,

I signed up with youmail.com and have used it several times now. I still need to go in & record personal greeting messages, but I am now able to access my messages either online or thru youmail phone access, so it works if you're at the computer or on the road. I am looking forward to the response from people when they get my personalized messages!

Thank you so much Janine!

Your Virtual Wizard · #13 (**permalink**) 09-25-2009

I think that it could very effective if the messages are personalized. It can send someone a cerebral message that they are important enough to have their own voice mail greeting!

Thank you for your comments.

Janine

AWVBM · #14 (**permalink**) 09-26-2009

Thank you for this. I think Google Voice is taking a break from new customers right now or something. I'm going to look into this.