Tips for recording a compelling Thank You voicemail

Introduce yourself. To the extent you’re comfortable, briefly tell us who you are. It’s OK if you want to remain anonymous or use only your first name.

Describe the person and what they did. Include details where possible. When did it happen? What was the setting? What were the circumstances? What did they do?

Explain how this impacted you. Why was it important or meaningful? How did it make you feel? Why are you thanking them? Did it change the course of your life? Did it give you a new sense of hope? Did it inspire you to see or do things differently? Be as specific as you can.

Speak clearly and directly into the mic on your phone. Find a quiet place to record your message. For the best audio quality, avoid speakerphone and earbud mics.

Ideas for people to thank

A teacher who changed how you think.

A colleague who opened up a new opportunity.

A first responder who saved someone important to you.

An artist, writer, or musician whose work impacted you deeply.

A friend who was there for you when you needed it.

A doctor who helped you beat the odds.

A parent who supported you at a pivotal time.

A stranger who showed up in unexpected ways.

A place or thing that brings you joy, inspiration, or hope.

Other notes

You are welcome to share your name and the name of the person you are thanking, but there is no requirement.

There is no time limit but most messages are under 5 minutes; don’t over-think it and just be yourself.

We may edit your voice message for clarity, but only in the spirit of making you sound better.

The person you’re thanking doesn’t have to be alive or someone you know; you could also thank an object, idea, animal, or place.

What happens next?

We will compile voicemails into short podcast episodes, and publish regularly on standard podcast feeds.

We can’t promise all voicemails will be used in the podcast, but we will do our best.

If you leave a message on the hotline and change your mind about airing it, no stress — just leave another message letting us know within 24 hours.

If you decide you want to re-record, just call again within 24 hours and let us know — we’ll disregard the previous message and use your new one.

Feel free to email us if you have a question.