If you started today searching for Voice Over Artists Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth you would quickly discover the incredible wealth of voice talent this country has to offer.

Advertising producers and directors welcome the choice but sometimes balk at the process of narrowing the list down to a select few.

It’s a plethora that can cause utter confusion. A bit like the chap from up north who was presented with three shovels and told to take his pick!

Not all that far back in this young nation’s history the job of recording the voice over for any broadcast media required one very special qualification. In no way should the chosen voice-over have any hint of an Australian accent.

If that sounds a bit weird consider this; many of the successful voice artists working in Australia originated in mother England or the South Seas equivalent, New Zealand.

It was fine for filmmakers to feature the broad Aussie accent of actors like Chips Rafferty. Even the radio listener, tuning in at lunch time to hear the latest episode of “On Our Selection”, could enjoy “Dad and Dave’s” shenanigans without worrying over drawled diphthongs or nasal twangs.

To the “great unwashed” aka the Australian audience, the familiar sound of an Australian voiced newsreader was unknown.

As far the ABC was concerned Aussies just didn’t speak the way we spoke. It was a twist on the old head in the sand Emu technique. The difference being this time the head was buried above the ears.

It appeared that Voice Over Artists Sydney wide and beyond were in agreement and the quasi BBC/mid pacific accent prevailed.

The arrival of a blond headed rat bag named Paul Hogan and a beer swilling raconteur called Barry McKenzie changed the Aussie broadcast scene overnight.

Another blond also played his part. It was Advertising’s golden-haired hero John Singleton. In the blink of an eye the airwaves were full of commercials that went OTT to be full-on “Ocker”.

To those poor over-lunched Advertising Executives the search for that illusive voice to represent their brand became even more challenging.

That’s why in 2021 so many turn first to Media Group, the business audio specialists. This is the place to find the widest selection of professional male and female voice over artists.

Best of all everything happens online from auditioning samples to arranging free quotes and production schedules. Try it here. www.mediagroup.com.au

Hence the origin of the expression “hold the line”. This always conjures up images of folks all over AU grabbing onto their cords and hanging-on tightly to stay connected.

Then came the advent of the answering machine. I remember the phrase “leave your message after the tone” as being the one sure way to leave my Mum speechless.

From those elementary days of “beeps” and awkwardness, we turn to the important business subject of On Hold Messaging.

Ask yourself where would the business world be without the telephone? It’s unthinkable and a bit scary.

It was August 15, 1877, when inventor Alexander Graham Bell called to his colleague in the next room “Mr. Watson come here. I want to see you".

Suddenly the world changed. The telephone had arrived and done business took a huge leap into modernity.

Today in this all-convenient digital world the business telephone is able to interact with callers using no human intervention. You’ve been there “Press 1 for accounts...”

But there are times when “all lines are busy”. I’m sure you’re familiar with the phrase. It comes just before you decide to hang up or to stay on the line as requested.

 

The choice between hanging-up and holding-on usually comes down to the quality of the On Hold Messaging.

Music alone will delay the hang-up but only marginally better than dead silence or those horrible chimes.

Callers need to be entertained if you want them to acquiesce to a request to hold the line. One way to do this is by providing relevant information about the company and its products/services.

A program of music and messages that’s been well scripted, properly recorded, and spoken by a professional voice actor is the best way to reduce the number of callers who hang-up.

At Media Group Au we can demonstrate how to improve you're On Hold Messaging. We will even write and record a free sample message and send it to you online.