In today’s dynamic and ever evolving business world, first impressions are critical. When your staff is unavailable, your professional phone greeting serves as the face of your brand, and it is often the first interaction a customer has with your company. A warm, professional, and polished greeting can significantly impact the customers’ perception of your business. That’s why choosing the right messaging and the right voice for your phone greetings deserves thoughtful and careful consideration.

The Impact of Voice Selection

One of the most important elements in crafting an effective phone greeting, on-hold or after-hours message for your business involves selecting the right voice. The voice that “speaks” for your business should align with your brand identity, core values, and the impression you aim to create among callers. Here are a few considerations to keep in mind when selecting the right voice:

1. Your Brand Personality:

• Consider the personality of your brand and determine the type of voice (e.g., formal, serious, relaxed, or friendly) that will resonate best with your customers.

2. Know Your Audience:

• Think about your target audience. What type of voice will appeal to them? Certain demographics may prefer a particular style of voice.

3. Maintain Consistency:

• If you have already established a “brand voice” in your marketing materials, keep that consistency in your phone greetings.

4. Professionalism is Key:

• This is one of the most important considerations. Select a voice who brings professionalism to the table. Even friendly or casual brands need a voice that sounds reliable and competent.

5. Consider Outsourcing Your Phone Greetings to Professional Voice Talent

• Professional Voiceover Artists are skilled at delivering messaging that resonates with nuance, versatility, and the ability to engage your customers while leaving a lasting impression.

Here are some steps you can take to choose the right voice talent for your phone greetings.

1. Listen to Demos:

• Many Voiceover artists have demo reels that showcase their voice range, tones and styles. Listen to these demos to get a sense of their skills and abilities.

2. Request Custom Auditions:

• To get a better idea of how a professional voiceover artist might sound on your phone greeting, ask them to provide a custom audition. They can also assist with creating and/or revising a script for your greetings. A well-written script should be clear, concise, and aligned with your brand.

3. Pay Attention to Quality:

• Make sure the quality of the voice recording is of the highest standard. A well-recorded greeting conveys a sense of professionalism.

Conclusion

Your phone greeting acts as a digital representative of your business. By taking time to carefully select the right voice and craft a well-written script, you can make a memorable and lasting impression with your customers. Don’t underestimate its impact.