Thumbs up if you’ve already shared an official business number(s) on your site’s landing page because that means you care for your clients! But do you ever think of the voice recording that meets the customer’s ear whenever they reach out to make inquiries?
Yes, you’d like to pick all calls immediately, but this is impossible unless you’re a brand new startup.
Like it or not, plenty of calls, up to 97 percent, go to voicemail. This percentage highlights the significance of having a professional visitor-friendly voice recording for all missed calls.
Your voicemail’s quality and content can make or break a prospect’s first encounter with such stats. It can also annoy prospects and threaten to chase away first-time, repeat, and loyal customers dialing to request support.
All these annoyances can negatively impact your business, shaking your bottom line.
So, how do you prepare for a professional voicemail greeting? How do you convince a cold-calling prospect that you’re indeed a legitimate company?
Let’s find out, shall we?
What is a Voicemail Voice Recording?
Ever called a utility bill company? Well, you’re happy at first when it goes through. However, it rings on and on, then oops! You hear the following message:
“Hello, thank you for reaching [company]. Sorry, our agents are currently on other calls. Kindly hold on as we try to connect you to the next available agent ….”
This response is an example of a business voicemail: the recording could get longer depending on your anticipated wait times or intended message.
To create one, you must go step by step.
First, write a script for the message you plan to pass. Once you’re satisfied with its contents, choose a male or female voice actor to record it. Next, you’ll need to incorporate it into your voicemail system.
Remember, everything matters: from the message’s tone to the wording in it and ultimately the person behind the voice. Therefore, the talent behind the message must impress your audience and what your brand stands for!
N/B: If an actor doesn’t resonate with your audience, search until you find the right candidate. Check out voice samples for our talented pool of voice actors and actresses at Bunny Studio.
How to Do a voice Recording for a Professional Voicemail
Having understood what voicemail is and why it matters to your small business, it’s also crucial to learn how to record one.
Based on your budget, you can:
- do the recording alone
- leverage text-to-speech software
- outsource the job to an expert voice actress or actor
Whatever the choice, remember the following when recording a business greeting for your audience.
1. Prepare a script
Before worrying about studio time, you must prepare a script of the message you wish to pass. Be clear and precise.
If you don’t know where to start, that’s okay. Hire a voicemail scriptwriter from the many freelance platforms available like Bunny Studio.
Generally, the message in the script should contain:
- The agent’s name and job title
- Your brand name name and slogan
- Working hours
- Why you aren’t available to pick the call
- An anticipated callback time
- A request for the caller’s name and number
- A thank you note.
Choose what’s relevant to your brand only. Also, remember to keep it as short as possible.
Once the script is ready, start worrying about who will record it.
2. Book Studio Time
If your customers deal with you directly, your voice must answer when they dial your business number.
Going DIY on this project doesn’t mean it won’t come off as professional. Working with an experienced producer and editor can guarantee quality voice recording that you can use for business.
3. Hire a Voiceover Professional
Still, booking studio time and working on the project all alone can turn out expensive because:
- Studios charged per hour, which can be as expensive as $100/hr.
- If you choose to hire an audio expert to monitor the process, you incur extra costs.
Hiring a freelancer to handle your project is perhaps the cheapest route because you don’t have to worry about equipment and how it happens.
You sit back and anticipate results once you share the script and a detailed explanation of what you expect.
Hence:
- Search for expert voice artists in freelance platforms like Bunny Studio.
- Submit your project details
- Get a quote.
- Choose the right voice to represent your brand.
Alternatively, you can hire a professional voice-over company. However, these services usually set their price higher in addition to the deal being non-negotiable more often than not.
4. Prepare yourself (or Voice Actor) for the session
Jumping into a voice recording session without going through a script can ruin the moment and affect your voicemail’s quality.
If you’re recording the greeting, study the script carefully so that every word comes out clearly.
Even professional voice actors cold-read their scripts before doing a voice recording. Honestly, it can be daunting trying to vary your tone while reading the words for the first time.
To confirm whether your voice actress is ready, guide them through your script and ask them to share a sample of what it will sound like.
If you’re satisfied, do the actual recording, edit and embed it into your voicemail system.
5. Use tonal variations to achieve a friendly recording
A flat, dull recording can turn off a wanna-be customer. Likewise, a lively tone does the opposite. It encourages the client to wait or leave their name and contact because everything sounds “right” even if their call went unanswered.
If you outsource this job to a freelancer, be sure to give details of the mood you prefer for this particular voice recording.
6. Be Precise
Voicemail should be short and sweet unless you’re buying time until a free agent picks the call (in which case, a more extended recording is better than a ringback tone).
Otherwise, stick to the data that matter, i.e., your brand name, working hours, and when you’ll be reaching out.
7. Request caller for their details
A professional greeting is no time for mumble-jumble unless, of course, you’re doing this to buy time and will soon pick the call.
If no one is on the receiving end, leave a warm greeting and request the caller’s name and contact.
8. Provide alternative contact points
After all, is said, you may also ask clients to contact you through your business email or refer them to another number (for urgent queries).
Customers hate to hit rock bottom. If there’s an alternative contact point, mention it at the end of the voicemail.
Providing alternative contact information helps give the way forward.
Why You Need a Professional Voicemail Voice Recording
While voicemail a seemingly trivial part of business, it impacts the customer experience. Moreover, failing to add a message is counterproductive.
Remember, no one wants to wind up in voicemail in the first place, but an annoying ringback tone can escalate the situation.
How about writing a script that apologizes, asks for contacts, and promises to call back?
A warm greeting offers the following advantages to a business:
1. Reduces customer churn
You ship the wrong shoe size to a customer, and she needs a way forward. She dials your number repeatedly to no avail, and slowly she begins lamenting.
A dissatisfied client get’s angrier if their phone goes unanswered. Furthermore, the complete lack of a human voice can cause customer churn.
Nevertheless, show the human side of your brand through a voicemail message. While this may not offer a remedy to their problem, hearing someone else voice promising to call them back is comforting.
2. Voicemail saves a caller’s time
Instead of having clients dial your number severally to no avail, inform them of your absence, request their contact, and call them later.
Voicemail messages save callers plenty of time that would otherwise go to waste trying to reach you when no one is on the receiving end.
3. Allows you to refer a client to the next contact point
Again, voicemails will enable you to refer a client to the next contact point.
Before winding up a voicemail note, ask the caller to reach you through email, another number, or any other contact points.
Referring clients to an alternative communication platform further portrays you as a professional easy-to-access brand.
4. Impression is king
Ever heard someone complain about company X and how “These guys are nowhere to be found. I’ve been calling their number all day!”
You don’t want the same impression of your brand.
So instead of going offline or letting a phone ring unanswered, leave a clear voicemail message.
A wrong first impression can turn away potential clients and impact your conversion efforts negatively.
Hiring a Voice Recording Artist for Your Project
As hinted earlier, you have two options when looking to hire the right talent for your business. You can either outsource to a freelancer or work with a recording agency.
If you choose to hire a freelancer, the platform they’re registered to serves as the intermediary and ensures quality control.
You also have the freedom to choose who works on your project based on their samples–and sometimes, get to negotiate the rates.
On the other hand, a recording agency takes project details and shares a team of experts with it. Though this approach guarantees quality, you have little control over the process.
Whichever strategy you choose, first understand how a platform works before sharing any project details.
It’s also important to be as detailed as possible when sharing information about your voicemail project.
Winding-up
Calls remain a central contact point even in an era of instant messaging solutions like live chat support, etc. Some issues are better voiced over the phone than typed in a text message.
Plus, when a customer calls, they want to feel the human aspect of your business. After all the emails and texts, one is eager to meet the real people behind a brand.
In the absence of a receiver, it’s better to leave a voicemail than just a ringbark tone, or nothing at all.
Submit Your Voicemail Voice Recording Project
Bunny Studio gives access to a pool of scriptwriters and voice actors. Submit your project details and hire a voice specialist for your business voicemail.
