If you’ve ever thought about recording your own prompts for your business, then you’ve probably already found out just how difficult it can be. Even with the right equipment (which alone costs thousands of dollars), depending on the word count it can take a week just to get the right recordings done. Maybe that’s why professionally recorded voice prompts are in such high demand.
Here’s a quick look at what you to do to record your own professional prompts,.
Step 1: Go back in time and study audio engineering.
Creating good, clear recordings takes a lot of practice. Audio engineering school costs thousands of dollars and requires years of your time.
If you’re passionate about recording, it’s absolutely worth it… but if you just want to get a good voice prompt for your business, there are certainly easier ways to get professional recordings!
Step 2: Plan ahead.
Creating a phone tree of the prompts that work cohesively requires a lot of planning and foresight. (Having years of experience doesn’t hurt, either.)
When you think about a voice prompt, it’s really just a long string of possible choices with outcomes. If a user selects “2” on the first prompt, they’ll have a few more options. Then, they might select “5,” which brings them to the next set of options.
It’s a complicated web that can get tangled up quickly, but with the right planning, you can get it done.
After the tree is drafted, we move on to recording.
Step 3: Record the material (about 3-10 times more than you need).
Recording just once or twice means putting all your faith in those copies, which is why professionals do multiple takes, even when working with talented voice actors.
If the recordings for your prompts will take up a total of 30 minutes when played back-to-back, that means up to 5 hours of takes… at least one full day in the studio when you account for breaks and multiple takes.
It’s a lot of work, but it pays off in the final step.
Step 4: Editing.
Nothing is perfect the first time around. That’s why professionals go through multiple rounds of editing, cutting, splicing, and “cleaning up.”
We make sure everything sounds clear and, more importantly, that it flows naturally.
Making sure that greeting 2C sounds correct after announcements 1A, 2A, and 2B is tricky, but that’s just what we do to make sure your recordings are as professional and “natural” as possible.
Professional voice prompts are worth the extra time and attention. When recorded and created correctly prompts give your customer a sense of reliability and quality that encourages trust… and more purchases.
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