There are many companies that don’t want me to share this with you, but what the heck? I’m here to help YOU grow.
You can have a great on-hold message for your store that YOU can record right there at your computer. It’s cheap, personal and your customers will actually enjoy it. Here’s how you do it.
1. Download a free audio recording program called Audacity http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
2. Buy a $20 microphone from your local Radio Shack. It needs to plug into your computer via usb or 1/8” mic jack on your computer.
3. Download iTunes on your computer if you don’t already have it. http://www.apple.com/itunes
4. Go buy an iPod. This MUST be an iPod you can plug in and leave plugged in at all times. It will go by your phone system in the back room. You can use an iPod or a junky old computer.
6. Call your telephone provider and tell them you want hold music on your system. They will come and install a 1/8” stereo cable into your system for you to plug into your junky old computer or your new shiny iPod.
7. Using Audacity, record a short message such as anything special you’ve got going on now, your store hours or just about anything fun you want to tell people. Don’t make it polished and contrived like a professional radio announcer, people don’t want that. Just talk like you talk to your friends. After all, these ARE your friends calling.
8. Now you can bring these recordings into iTunes and create a playlist for your iPod. Include a few tunes in there that you like. I like Herb Albert’s “Diamonds” and Marilyn Monroe’s “Diamonds are a girls best friend”. Play a song, then your announcement, then a song. Put this playlist on “repeat” and push PLAY.
9. Call the store with your cell phone and check the volume level. Have fun with this and remember to change it up at least once per quarter.
Call or email me if you have any questions.