Category Archives: March 2006

March 2006 – Client Of The Month – Courier News

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couriernews2HOLDCOM congratulates the Courier News as our Client Of The Month for March 2006. Since 1996, the Courier News – a daily newspaper read by more than 113,000 Central New Jersey residents – has benefited from HOLDCOM’s Message-On-Hold services.

The Courier News utilizes their on-hold message to remind advertisers and readers of the many products and services they provide. Message-On-Hold also helps them spread the word about new sections or features in the Courier News, and it is an additional venue for them to promote special events.

“We sponsored a Taste of Home cooking show and a Courier News community yard sale in 2005,” states Andrea Aleff, Market Development Director, “and we used our HOLDCOM message to give callers details about both events. Taste of Home is a popular event, in fact, and we’re sponsoring another show on March 22 at Raritan Valley Community College. One of our current on-hold messages tells callers about the event and how to get tickets.”

The Courier News has also used their on-hold message in a creative, yet practical, manner. In 2005, they launched a new branding campaign, using the theme “Miss a day. Miss a lot.” A broadcast production house created words and lyrics for a radio jingle around that theme, and HOLDCOM uploaded the jingle for their callers’ entertainment. “Our Message-On-Hold
was a creative venue for us to get extra ‘airtime’ out of our radio budget,” states Andrea.

Andrea also enjoys the responsive service she receives from HOLDCOM, as well as the uncomplicated process that is entailed whenever she needs to update her on-hold program. “We’ve had excellent customer service from HOLDCOM, and a great relationship with our script consultant, Rob Lefever, that has continued for several years. The turnaround between script
submission and a new message being uploaded is very prompt. The best part is the ‘turnkey’ nature of HOLDCOM’s service. Once we submit a script and select music, we know a pleasant and professional message will be uploaded onto our system. We don’t have to worry about following up. HOLDCOM takes care of the rest.” Congratulations again to the Courier
News!

St. Patrick’s Theme Day

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Show Your Green

shamrock

HOLDCOM will be showing our green by celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with a special themed luncheon for our staff.  Included will be traditional corn beef sandwiches as well as a spread of “green” foods and beverages.  There’s a little bit of Irish in all of us.  How will you be celebrating the day?

Here is some interesting St. Patrick’s Day background information from history.com: Today, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated by people of all backgrounds in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Although North America is home to the largest productions, St. Patrick’s Day has been celebrated in other locations far from Ireland, including Japan, Singapore, and Russia. In modern-day Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day has traditionally been a religious occasion. In fact, up until the 1970s, Irish laws mandated that pubs be closed on March 17. Beginning in 1995, however, the Irish government began a national campaign to use St. Patrick’s Day as an opportunity to drive tourism and showcase Ireland to the rest of the world. Last year, close to one million people took part in Ireland ‘s St. Patrick’s Festival in Dublin, a multi-day celebration featuring parades, concerts, outdoor theater productions, and fireworks shows.

Click here to learn even more about St. Patrick’s Day!

iPad May Lighten The Load

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The Apple iPad (leaning)

The highly anticipated (and no longer rumored) release of Apple’s iPad, recently announced for April 3rd, will actually occur in stages, with the 3G-equipped version making its subsequent debut later in the same month. Technology pundits and gurus have been flexing their speculative muscles predicting just how much of an impact the less than 10-inch tall, 1.5-pound wonder will have on the planet’s population.

There is no shortage of opinions as to how the iPad might change our behavior and interface with our daily tasks and activities. I believe the most significant impact will emanate from its functionality as a portable media center, specifically in its ability to not only emulate, but also surpass the Kindles of the world. And here is where I make my prediction about a major benefit that the iPad will produce…for our kids:
Since Apple has a great relationship and presence within the educational community, publishers, schools and students will no doubt exploit and embrace the iPad’s ability to deliver thousands of textbooks via its e-reader feature. Think of it…no longer will kids have to schlep half their weight in a backpack bulging with heavy, multi-sized books. The implications are huge, and may represent a paradigm shift in education. Students will now have the equivalent of their own personal “Smart Board” right at their fingertips, complete with links to the Internet embedded in their e-books! Trees will be spared, textbook expenses reduced, and studying may actually become recreational! From a health perspective, we may even see a reduction in back pain and improvements in posture!

I invite you to submit your own predictions about iPad’s potential impact on our lives.

Celebrate National Grammar Day!

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Script Writing Tip – Write Rules

pencil on white paper (with eraser)

It seems that in this day and age, everyone’s opinions matter.  There are blogs, reality TV shows where participants share their thoughts in “confessionals”, and a variety of social networking tools where people chime in on everything & everything.  So, in honor of National Grammar Day on March 4th – as designated by the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar – be sure you write well and speak well… that’s all you need to do to participate.

Want more fun ideas for you and your office to enjoy on National Grammar Day?  Visit http://nationalgrammarday.com/.

Voiceover Spotlight: Dominic

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This month, our Voiceover Spotlight shines on Dominic – HOLDCOM’s authentic British “specialty” voice talent!

DOMINIC-KING-PUBLICITY-SHOT

While working for the BBC, Dominic was asked to record the continuity voice that introduced the nightly news program. The opportunity to voice these announcements often under a tight deadline – and often with last-minute changes – granted Dominic a great introduction to the world of voiceover work.

Dominic has proudly been a professional voiceover talent for five years. He also presents a daily radio show in the UK, and he enjoys the fact that he’s always using his voice and that it’s always being heard.

A few years ago, Dominic was surfing the web, promoting his voiceover services, when he came across HOLDCOM. He contacted the team and quickly became a member of our voice talent roster.

Dominic states the most exciting and interesting aspect of working as a voice talent is: “You never know what you are going to be asked to record next. It’s always challenging, always different. And that is why I am always ready.”

Some of his career highlights include receiving a SONY Radio Academy Gold Award in 2005 for his radio show and coverage of the 60th anniversary of D-Day. Also in 1990, Dominic had the pleasure of interviewing none other than Audrey Hepburn whilst reporting for BBC Television at the United Nations in New York. “What a lady!” he reminisces.

National Nutrition Month / My Pyramid

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March is National Nutrition Month and HOLDCOM encourages you to balance your lifestyle with good physical and mental health, daily exercise, and a nutritious diet.

The US Department of Agriculture recently enhanced the traditional Food Pyramid to create a helpful guide that personalizes and provides many options regarding healthy food choices and daily activity. The 5 main food groups: Grains, Vegetables, Fruits, Dairy, and Meat & Beans still make up the pyramid, but since no two people are the same, your Recommended Daily Allowances will be adjusted accordingly. Visit MyPyramid.org for an array of information and to find your daily balance.

MyPyramid_4cSo how does the USDA react to the low-carb and/or no carb diets that have been sweeping bookstores and grocery aisles recently? The Pyramid’s advice: “Make half your grains whole”. The aforementioned website is a great tool for helping you creatively accomplish this and other daily dietary requirements.

HOLDCOM encourages our clients in the healthcare, food service, health club, and other related fields to further enforce the overall benefits of a healthy lifestyle by incorporating tips and information into your next Message-On-Hold update. Ask your Script Consultant for more details.

One size doesn’t fit all. A MyPyramid Plan can help you choose the foods and amounts that are right for you.

For a detailed assessment of your food intake and physical activity level, visit: www.mypyramid.gov.

Tips & Resources

Your food and physical activity choices each day affect your health—how you feel today, tomorrow, and in the future. These tips and ideas are a starting point. You will find a wealth of suggestions here that can help you get started toward a  healthy diet. Choose a change that youcan make today, and move toward a healthier you.

Tips to help you:

·  Make half your grains whole
·  Vary your veggies
·  Focus on fruit
·  Get your calcium rich foods
·  Go lean with protein
·  Find your balance between food and physical activity

Thanks to www.mypyramid.gov for this information.

Reaching Out

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HOLDCOM recently supported New York Families for Autistic Children in communicating their organization’s mission: Helping families, help their children, one family at a time.

NYFAC is currently serving families with Advocacy, Support, Education, and Recreation services to help build strong family units that produce powerful results. Through HOLDCOM’s Message-On-Hold services, NYFAC is now able to promote their mission and goals. At HOLDCOM, we’re proud to provide Sound Communication that makes a difference. For more information regarding NYFAC, please visit their website at www.nyfac.org.