Pictorial voice mail notification with link to voice mail server

An improved mechanism for voice mail notification is disclosed. When a voice mail server receives a voice mail message left by a first party for a second party, the voice mail server stores the voice mail message and generates and sends to the second party a pictorial voice mail notification message that includes (i) an image associated with the first party and (ii) a link to the stored voice mail message at the voice mail server. The pictorial voice mail notification message may be structured such that, when a user invokes the link, an active session will be established between the user's device and the voice mail server, and the voice mail server will automatically play the stored voice mail message to the user and then offer the user one or more normal voice mail management options, such as options to delete, replay, save, or forward the message.