HOW TO SEND A VOICE EMAIL by SMP Training Co

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Okay here we go. For years I used to have fun sending out voice-emails using the old MS Outlook Express. You’d create a greeting, embed it in the email and it would instantly play when your client clicked on it or opened it. Scared the pants of them too! I’ve been searching all over for a voice to email program and there are many – however the recipient can see the attachment and may or may not click on it. If they do, then their iTunes or similar will open. Not the best. Finally I found Windows Mail in Vista. I am using Vista as it retains many marketing tools that have now disappeared in the latest versions of Windows. You can also search for and download Windows Mail or Windows Live Mail. If you are using Vista and or still have MS Outlook Express… you can use this voice email idea right away.

Step 1: Click on Start, All Programs, then look for Windows Mail. Open it and you will see the email interface. You may have to create an email account – and you can do this by using the same properties for the email account you are currently using. Step 2: Locate the Sound Recorder by clicking on Start, Accessories and there it will be.

Step 3: Use your webcam microphone, click on Start Recording and create a greeting, a welcome, a sales pitch, a reminder, an update… your choice. Suggest you create a series of greetings to suit seasonal sales events, for welcoming new clients, as a post trip follow up… you know what you need. Then label them and save them to your Voice Mail Greetings folder.

Step 4: Make sure your folder is easily accessible. You could leave it on your Desktop or keep it where I keep mine – in an all purpose folder labelled as Filing Cabinet. Everything goes into my Filing Cabinet – and it makes for a quick and easy search. Just like a filing cabinet there are Draws and Folders suitably labelled. Step 5: To send a voice email, open Windows Mail and you will see a familiar email interface. Click on Create Mail to open a new window and then click on Format, Background and Sound. The Background Sound window will open.

Step 6: It’s here where you browse back to your sound file which is then embedded in the message and NOT as an attachment. Make sure you check Play the Sound ONCE (1) and never have it play continuously or more than once.

Step 7: Browse back to the folder where you are storing your prepared greetings and also your ‘on the spot’ voice files – by this I mean when you wish to send a one-off message to a client or a supplier. You click on the Sound Recorder, create that off the cuff message, save it and then Browse back to embed it.

Step 8: You should be good to go. BUT before you click send, make sure you send a copy to yourself (FIRST) then test that your message does play and then you can send it your intended recipient. Once again – take note that your voice message will not be seen or shown on the email when it arrives in your clients inbox. As soon as they highlight it or open it, your voice will be heard. Now if they have their speakers turned on and up and they are sipping hot coffee, or they are working in an open plan office… well you can imagine their surprise. They are expecting a text email and suddenly it’s a voice booming in their headset or over their speakers! This could be funny, or it could go bad. You have to be aware of what might happen at the other end. Might be a good idea to type something in the message window such as: Are your speakers on? Or, This is a Voice Email from ABC Travel. Never embed a scary voice… or shout! Remember that hot coffee… not good.

Before you download Windows Mail or Windows Live Mail, do your due diligence to make sure it will not cause any problems for your computer. SMP Training takes no responsibility for your actions. I still use MS Outlook as my main email client. I now keep Windows Mail / Outlook Express pinged to the Task Bar for as and when I wish to use it. You can search for Windows Mail for Windows 7 or 2010 or whatever version you are using. Vista users will find it as shown above. Here’s one link that might help you start your search. http://windows.microsoft.com/is-IS/windows7/looking-for-windows-mail

This link will take you to FILE GURU where there are dozens if very interesting downloads. Be careful as the page is very cleverly arranged and you’ll be reading one thing and downloading another. I have tried VeMail and others and typically they will record your voice and produce an MPEG3 file that is then seen as an attachment. The recipient must click on it, open it and play it through their media player such as iTunes. Using Windows Mail is much better given the impact of instant voice. http://www.fileguru.com/apps/email_voice

Hi this is Steve from ABC Travel. I could have saved you fifteen grand on that world cruise! Let’s chat soon!

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www.sellingtravel.net T: 250-752-0106 steve@sellingtravel.net