Project your desired business image on the telephone

In today’s world of business we all rely on the phone far more than in any other era. There are some things you can’t control. Much of what you can do on the phone is at the mercy of Telecoms and your phone service provider.

However there is one important feature on your business phone where you have complete control and that is your Telephone Messages.

It really is more than important, because a great deal of the success you achieve with your customers often comes down to how they interact with the messages they hear when they call.

People want to feel they are dealing with an organisation where the customer is king. They also want to know your company is thoroughly professional, organised and progressive.

The very sound and wording of your Telephone Messages can convince a caller that you possess a customer-caring attitude and the professionalism they expect.

A few dozen words will put customers in the picture

If as they say, “a picture is worth a thousand words”, a few well-chosen sentences can effectively communicate the benefits of staying one of your valued clients.

Telephone Messages should not be long-winded spiels full of intricate details on the ins and outs of your operations. They need to be succinctly written parcels of useful information.

Customers don’t want to hear you gas-bagging on about irrelevant topics. They want to hear only what interests them in their dealings with your company.

It’s not just what you say it is also how it is said

As nice as your voice may be, you are probably not a professional voice over artist! So when you are creating any Telephone Messages its best to call on the services of a professional voice talent.

The “pro” has the training and experience to inject the sincerity needed in the read without it coming out sounding forced or OTT. If there is a little humour in the script he or she will interpret that without any ham overtones.

Sourcing the best script and the right voice

Because your company’s Telephone Messages play such a vital role in your communications with customers, it’s essential to have the scripts prepared by an experienced writer.

Media Group, the business audio specialists have a team of writers able to assist in creating interesting and informative scripts in accordance with your instructions.

When you have approved the wording in the Telephone Messages you can go online and select a male of female professional voice artist from the line up offered by Media Group.

You can also choose a music track to be used in the production and then leave the rest to the studio producers at Media Group. It is a simple online process and you control everything from your home or office.

Start today by going to www.mediagroup.com.au

Your onhold program needs to project the right image

When an incoming call is placed in the queue, are you sure the On Hold Message is conveying the correct image of your company? Does the voice sound professional? Is the content informative about your products and services? And is it up to date?

There’s no value in telling callers about your Christmas holiday hours when you are about to take a break for Easter! This sort of oversight merely gives clients and potential customers the impression that you don’t have your finger on the pulse.

Choose an experienced voice artist

Probably the biggest mistake made with any On Hold Message has to do with the choice of voice used. Of course you must use a professional voice over talent.

Never scrimp on the budget by getting an amateur to do the recording. There is a real art to reading a script. It’s a combination of natural ability, training and years of experience.

Think of it like hiring someone to build a brick wall. Much of the expertise of the trade professional will be invisible. You can’t see the depth and quality of the footing, but a good foundation is critical. While any bricks out of alignment might mar the overall appearance, they are not going to cause the wall to topple over.

Media Group, the business audio specialists provide a wide choice of professional male and female voice talent. You can hear samples of their previous work online. This will help you to select the voice artist you think has the tone and style that best projects the image you desire for your business.

Create an informative and entertaining onhold program

For those busy times when you put callers onhold, you need to be sure that any On Hold Message they hear will help to keep them on the line.

The whole purpose of the onhold program is to prevent callers from hanging up the phone and taking their business elsewhere.

Media Group know it is essential you keep each caller interested and entertained. Their team of copywriters will work with you and the information you provide to craft scripts that will amuse, entertain and educate callers about your company.

Each On Hold Message they create will inform callers about your current products and planned new releases. They will include your location, parking, public transport, hours of operation, seasonal breaks and special services.

In between and underscoring each individual On Hold Message callers will hear music. The music will feature tracks you have selected from the Media Group library of Royalty Free Music.

The net result is more happy customers and fewer callers hanging up. Find out how you can project the image you want for your business as a professional, progressive and client oriented operation. Enquire about an onhold program written, produced and professionally voiced by Media Group.

Go to www.mediagroup.com.au

Beware of the ones that get away

If callers are hanging-up when you ask them to stay on the line, it’s a sign they are not hearing a Message On Hold that is interesting and informative.

Keeping callers from hanging up the phone is a bit like fishing. You know you have the right bait because the fish keep on biting. What you don’t have is the right hook! A flick of the head, a swish of the tail and they’re off the line.

Your onhold program is the only defence you have to prevent clients and new customers from hanging up and taking their business to your competitors.

It’s vital that with every Message On Hold in the program you give callers a reason to stay. Once they drop the phone they are just as likely to drop you! And more likely to never give you a second chance.

And another one bites the dust

Let’s imagine the phone rings and it’s a particularly busy time. Staff are dealing with other customers so the phone system plays the Welcome Message and next the caller is placed in the queue and listening to a Message On Hold.

Research has shown that the first thing that happens to a person on hold is they lose all perception of time. Even if they are on hold for less than a minute they’ll tell you “I’ve been waiting for hours”.

It’s human nature to complain about an unsatisfactory service experience. Unfortunately it’s rare for someone to make a compliment when something good happens. This applies even if the service given is way above expectations. People love to whinge!

The problem of a bad onhold experience is compounded when the complaints start. It’s hard enough losing one customer, but when others are scared off when hearing about the problem, the whole debacle snowballs. All for the sake of a Message Onhold that didn’t keep the original caller interested or entertained.

Nip the problem in the bud

Take a long critical listen to the program callers are hearing when you place them onhold. If you have to ring your front desk and ask to be put onhold do it!

As you hear the first Message Onhold try to imagine yourself as a client or a new business prospect. Are you going to be content to stay on the line? Or are you going to contact Media Group, the business audio specialists, and get an effective onhold program of music and messages?

Media Group are ready to demonstrate how your onhold program should sound. For starters you can get a Message Onhold sample absolutely free.

All the details are on the Media Group website. Plus you can find out all about package prices, voice over artists, Royalty Free Music and how easily you can keep your Onhold program up-to-date and interesting.

Don’t let the next caller off the hook! Head to www.mediagroup.com.au

Some voices just don’t cut the mustard

Sometimes you’ll hear a voice on a TV or radio commercial and think it sounds so wrong for the product or sponsor. You’ll wonder how they managed to make such a mistake choosing that voice for the role.

Was it a case of Producer Wax-in-the-Ear syndrome? Was the Director having a big hissy-fit and failed to realise the error? Was it some one’s cousin who got the job?

Or was it that old problem of a copywriter overstepping. Getting involved with selecting the talent instead of sticking to the role of writing scripts and not meddling in casting?

When it comes to choosing Voce Over Artists accidents do happen. There are examples a plenty being broadcast as you read. So the question remains, how can such calamities be avoided in future?

The fine art of matching the voice to the mood

As the weary copywriter struggles to meet the impossible deadline for the script the wheels should already be in motion to choose the best voice.

When it comes to evaluating the Voice Over Artists who may be suitable for any particular role, keep in mind well trained and experienced professional voice talent are like chameleons. They quickly adapt to surroundings and blend to fit into the type and style of read required.

However there is no one size fits all when it comes to Voice Over Artists. They may appear similar but all have different abilities. Some will struggle to play a serious and sombre character. While others will have you weeping by the third line.

Audition online - hear samples of previous work by voice actors

When the decision rests in your corner you’ll find nothing beats hearing recordings of previous performances of the available Voice Over Artists.

Media Group, the business audio specialists know there’s truth in the adage “hearing is believing”. For that reason they have assembled hundreds of voice samples on the Media Group website.

To facilitate your search for the right voice the sample recordings are categorised by gender, age group, style of read and country (language).

Without leaving the comfort of your office or armchair you can begin narrowing the choice of Voice Over Artists for your next project.

Get an online quote for the voice of your choice

Media Group provide an amazing range of professional male and female Voice Over Artists. When you have listened to the samples online and decided on a favourite or two ask for an online quote.

If you have any little doubts about your chosen talent being able to deliver the read you require, request a free demo. Media Group will arrange to have your preferred voice talent read a short extract from one of your scripts.

The only provision is that you must be going to record a script or scripts that will run a total of at least 60 seconds.

There’s never been a better way to choose the right voice. So don’t be left dangling. Head to www.mediagroup.com.au