What was once an unproductive waiting time for callers can now become something worthwhile with the use of on-hold marketing. But first, let’s define on-hold marketing and what it can do for your company.

On-hold marketing is a type of public relations and marketing tool where you play music or have on-hold messages that promote your brand’s product and services. Nowadays, small-sized and medium-sized companies use on-hold marketing to keep customers updated with latest products, promotions, as well as one-time deals that the callers can claim once they get connected with a representative.

Sometimes referred to as telephone on-hold marketing, the basic idea of this strategy was brought about due to the fact that most customers grow impatient while waiting on the other line. The main idea of on-hold marketing is not only to put a background music on-hold for callers, but also to introduce verbal advertising. It’s also set-up at a minimal cost, plus, better chances at generating an ample amount of sales.

By merely installing an on hold message marketing system on your company’s phone, you will accomplish two things:

1) You can introduce new products, or promotions to callers

2) You have reduced the frustration brought by waiting. This will eventually make callers feel entertained and by the time a customer representative takes the call, they’re in a better mood and become more susceptible to placing orders. Isn’t that amazing? In addition, you have decreased the chances of callers hanging-up on you.

Studies show that with on hold messaging, callers will wait up to 3 times longer than when forced to listen to dead-air (silence), radio or canned music on hold. This not only keeps callers on the line, it allows you more opportunitues at a chance of winning a sale! 

If you need help coming up with ideas and professional messages on-hold, we at The Original On Hold,Inc provide a wide array of services that you can choose from.  You can even update your on-hold messages anywhere, anytime with Message Xpress – it’s that easy!

What sets on-hold marketing apart from other marketing tools is that it’s not only cost-effective, it also  lets you advertise your products and services to your customers upfront. Unlike the traditional media, you have your caller’s undivided attention through telephone on-hold marketing, giving you the liberty to market your products all you want.

Sign up for risk-free on hold trial today and experience the wonders of on-hold marketing for your company.

When people call your company, you have their unwavering attention. Their minds are open to any messages you tell them because they want to do business with you. They didn’t call because they just want to have a chat, otherwise they would have called their friends. But, no. They called because they want to do business with you. Customers call because they want your brand to fill a need to solve a problem. How well your business work around these situations can make or break your brand.

Let me tell you this. Have you tried doing spy calls? Those types of calls where you pretend to be a prospective customer to a certain competitor? You might be surprised at how customer representatives entertain calls and handle customer queries. Some of them even have food in their mouths while answering the phone. Other agents, of course, sound enthusiastic and happy helping you with your requests and needs. However, there are others who sound bored like they’ve got better things to do.

Now, agents are not the worst part. How some customer representatives handle the call, I’m sure you can handle. But, what’s quite unforgiveable is the fact that they have a radio station playing as their music on-hold but running a commercial about the competing company? (…this makes absolutely no sense what so ever? In fact, its taboo in business!!)

That said, you need to make sure that you’re on-hold marketing includes important information such as updates from the company, latest offers, even frequently asked questions by callers – anything that would persuade callers to put an order.Remember that they have called because they’re interested.  When you don’t pay attention to them, they can simply hang-up and call other companies who’d be more willing to make them happy.

On hold messages are created to make the customer’s on hold time worthwhile. It should be a wonderful experience. Of course, nobody wants to be put on hold; remember even the most patient caller can still get annoyed with unprofessional on-hold messages. But, if truth be told, nobody likes to be put on hold and hear nothing, or worse, listen to a poorly tuned radio station.

Pay attention to your on-hold message script and make sure that your message is worth listening. Some owners are too busy running their business that at some point, they fail to consider how customers and prospects perceive the brand. Always think about your customers and how to make them happy. After all, without them there is no business!

Your message on-hold script is an important part of your marketing strategy. What do you tell to your customers? What kind of information do you have to include in your message to attract them? There are endless questions; but, for now let’s focus on the basic ways to create an effective on-hold message.

For some companies, on-hold messages are pretty obvious. For instance, a car company could simply share the latest car models they have or the ones that they need to get off the lot. However, what happens if your company doesn’t have regular changes in products or what have you?

That said, you have to think about what your callers frequently ask whenever they connect to you. If your working hours are comprised of answering repetitive questions from customers, then this should give you an idea on what to include in your on-hold message. You can use answers as a lead in to the message system. By the time you entertain customer calls, they’ll have a bigger issue at hand, instead of those little, obvious questions.

The moment you start answering those customer queries, chances are they’ll be equipped with new questions in the future. Then, you’ll have the liberty of updating your on-hold script more frequently. Here at The Original On Hold, we have Message Xpress where you can edit and update your on-hold message whenever and wherever you are. You don’t want to bore your callers with the same message playing over and over, right? That would be a crime in marketing!

Aside from frequently asked questions, don’t forget to mention any special deals and offers in your on-hold message. All latest updates should be included in your script to let the customers know what you’ve been up to lately. This will also give them more reason to patronize your products and services.

Start pondering about your on-hold message script. If you need some help, we at The Original On Hold,Inc are  just a risk free on hold system trial away.