Type a pause with three dots
Want the voice to hold back for a moment, for instance right before a phone number or an important announcement? Type three dots (...). In our measurements that produces a pause of well over half a second, where a regular comma or full stop is much shorter. Just enough to catch the caller's attention.
“The practice is currently closed. For emergencies, please call... 0343 41 22 33.”
Use the pause sparingly: one or two per message is plenty. A script full of dots starts to sound hesitant.
Add emphasis with capitals
A word typed entirely in CAPITALS usually gets extra emphasis. Useful for the one word that really matters. The same rule applies: one word per message at most, otherwise everything sounds equally loud and nothing stands out. Always check the free preview; not every voice stresses equally strongly.
“Please note: due to renovations we are CLOSED this week. From Monday we will be happy to help you again.”
Write the way you speak
- Short sentences sound best. Every full stop is a natural breathing point; a three-line sentence gets spoken as a three-line sentence.
- Read your script aloud once before using it. If you stumble somewhere, the recording will too.
- Type phone numbers, times and web addresses just as you would write them: 0343 41 22 33, 5.30 pm, www.yourcompany.com. They are almost always pronounced properly; the free preview is your check.
- Common abbreviations such as e.g. and etc. are automatically spoken in full. If in doubt, simply write the words out.
Choose the tone with the buttons, not the text
Do not type stage directions in your script, such as "say this cheerfully": they will simply be read out. For a friendlier, more cheerful, calmer or more formal delivery, use the tone buttons in the greeting maker. And if one specific word sounds different from what you intended, your company name for instance, use the pronunciation helper: you type, in plain letters, how it should sound.
And always: play the free preview
Every tip above can be checked in one click: the free preview sounds exactly like the message you buy. If a pause or emphasis does not feel right, adjust the text and listen again. You only pay once it sounds right.