Leaving Recorded Messages
By Lee Simonson
Leaving recorded messages on phone answering machines or voice mail can be easily done with technology called phone broadcasting, or sometimes referred to as voice broadcasting, call blast or voice blast. This technology can send hundreds or thousands of recorded messages per minute to large lists of phone numbers and is relatively inexpensive. Today's technology can also detect the difference between someone answering the phone live versus an answering machine.
There are different categories of messages and some are regulated by law. Informational messages such as school closings, or airline flight cancellations are legal. However, it is not legal to leave commercial telemarketing messages to phone numbers that have registered with national and state Do Not Call lists. Moreover, new federal regulations that will go into effect in 2009 will prohibit any solicitations or sales messages unless you have WRITTEN consent from those you are calling.
It is not necessary to purchase equipment or hardware to leave messages to a large number of answering machines. The vast majority of users simply hire a phone broadcast service bureau to deliver the messages. You can email your phone list into the phone broadcast service, and record your message over the phone. Then you can direct when you want your message delivered. After the message goes out you can receive a report on who received the message and who didn't. Generally, you are not charged for undeliverable messages, and it's just pennies per message for those that are successfully delivered.
For legal compliance, it is also important for you to have your service bureau put in the correct Caller ID number so recipients know which phone number they are receiving the message from. It's best to practice your message several times and edit it for clarity and brevity. Your message should not last more than 45 seconds.
Leaving prerecorded messages is quickly being adopted as a convenient and cost effective way to communicate with customers or members. For example, sending messages to remind customers about prescription refills, or to return a rented movie, are good examples of how this technology can help business and consumers. New applications are being used everyday. Colleges are sending messages to alumni about events, or incoming students to alert them about schedules and deadlines. Organizations can use it to alert members about blood drives, meetings, special activities or programs.
About 70% of Americans are not home during the day, which is why daytime calls have the best chance of reaching an answering machine or voice mail. Many users believe that leaving a message is less intrusive than trying to reach a person who answers the phone live, and because the message can be retrieved at the convenience of the recipient at a later time.
For more information about leaving recorded messages on answering machines, you can click here: http://www.orangepoint.net/phone_broadcasting.html
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