Every B2B professional sends dozens of out-of-office replies per year. Most sound like this:
“I’m currently out of the office and will return on Monday. For urgent matters, contact…”
Boring. Generic. Forgettable.
But you just captured someone’s attention for 15 seconds. They opened your email. They’re reading your message. That’s more engagement than most of your newsletters get.
The missed opportunity: You could be building your brand every time you’re not at work.
Better approach:
“I’m at the Manufacturing Expo learning what’s next for industrial automation. Back Monday with fresh insights. While I’m gone, check out our most popular guide: ‘The 5-Minute Equipment Check That Prevents 90% of Breakdowns’ → [link]”
Even better:
“I’m visiting three client facilities this week to see our systems in action. Back Thursday. PS: If you’re curious what those site visits reveal, our field engineer shares real stories here → [link to blog series]”
What this does:
- Shows you’re actively engaged in your industry
- Provides immediate value instead of just an excuse
- Drives traffic to your best content when you’re not even working
- Builds your reputation as someone worth following
The compound effect: Over a year, your out-of-office messages become a consistent touchpoint that reinforces your expertise and keeps your content circulating.
Stop apologizing for being unavailable. Start using unavailability to prove you’re worth waiting for.
