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OOOs and ah-has - Showing off in your out of office

  • Writer: Hannah Rooke
    Hannah Rooke
  • Sep 11
  • 2 min read

One of my recent out of office (OOO) messages prompted three new emails. Three, so what?


  1. Was an appreciative response from a client. Securely reiterating why I'm working with them, and why they continue working with me.

  2. Was a reaction following a generic newsletter/email and sparking a new conversation and potential new project.

  3. And the third was a new client request! They reached out tentatively and responded well to my out of office. Expectations managed. Delight shared.


So, just three, but three belters.


It was a kind reminder that every example of copy matters, whether it's an out of office, a website 404 message, your email signature. Your brand voice and messaging can (and should) be clear in every little bit of interaction (or touchpoint [eurgh, I hate that word, but you get it right]). These examples of microcopy often have a big impact on the reader. I'm not saying you need to be telling your accountancy clients that you're off to Las Vegas to visit Lady Luck, but you can try to reinforce your brand messaging.


  • Are you being helpful by providing a backup contact for clients (or potential clients) who are reaching out?

  • Is it clear when you're back and able to respond?

  • Can you share a useful web page or blog article to provide more information?

  • Are you showing you understand your audience?

  • Can you big up your services where they're relevant to your audience?


Don't worry, you don't have to slave over every out of office, but think about setting up a good one and then tweak it each time. Or, if you haven't got a way with words, get your lovely copywriter to help - they could even create a bank of them for the you and the team. Failing that, ask everyone's little AI helper* for some ideas and then make it your own.


Below is my example for inspiration. And you'll find loads elsewhere on the web (good and bad). Check out Leigh James, Mel Barfield and Tom Garfield over on LinkedIn as they're also particularly good at them.



Screengrab of my out of office message example: Out to play I'm eking out the last few days and hours with my boy before he returns to school. I'll be back conjuring content on Tuesday 2 September with shiny shoes, a pencil case full of new stationery and a mind full of promise. Thanks, Hannah P.S. By Wednesday I'll probably be full of caffeine, biscuits and a sense of impending doom. But hey, I'll still have new stationery.
The aforementioned out of office message which made a big impression


Full alt text of my out of office message example:


Out to play


I'm eking out the last few days and hours with my boy before he returns to school.


I'll be back conjuring content on Tuesday 2 September with shiny shoes, a pencil case full of new stationery and a mind full of promise.


Thanks,

Hannah


P.S. By Wednesday I'll probably be full of caffeine, biscuits and a sense of impending doom. But hey, I'll still have new stationery.



*Please use AI responsibly. It's a great tool but you'll still need to do a little work - swirling around a paintbrush doesn't make you the next van Gogh. Review, refine and personalise. I've got a trusty Swiss Army Knife but I wouldn't attempt to build a house with it.

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