5 Ways On Hold Messages Increase Sales For Businesses

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard countless times that, today’s marketing techniques are all about engagement. Businesses are focused on engaging customers through a variety of channels including mobile, online, digital and social. But, they seem to be ignoring, and failing miserably at one very critical customer engagement opportunity – the telephone!

You spend valuable marketing dollars engaging customers and prospects, so why let the engagement process come to a screeching halt simply because they’re placed on hold when they call?  Many businesses fail to use this connection as an opportunity to engage callers with targeted marketing messages to increase sales.

Even in this technology-driven age, the telephone still trumps all other methods that consumers prefer when contacting a business. So, instead of letting the marketing and engagement process become stopped dead in its tracks, turn One moment. Hold please. Just a sec. Into one of the most profitable things you can say by keeping the conversation going while callers wait, and turn hold-time into a marketing opportunity!

Below are 5 ways on hold messages can drive sales and increase your revenue.

Promote and Up-Sell

If your business has a primary product or service that brings in most of your revenue, then consider highlighting other products and service offerings that can be mentioned in your messages.  These are just a few suggestions, but with a little thought, the list literally goes on and on.

Items such as:

• Add-ons
• Specials
• Package Deals
• Companion Products
• Extended Warranties

2. Motivate Your Callers

Be sure to include language in your script copy that encourages callers to take action. Here are a few examples below.

• Stress urgency by adding deadlines and dates specific to promotions. (i.e. This offer is only available through the end of January, so don’t delay.)

• Offer rewards and bonuses that encourage the caller to take action. (i.e. If you add this onto your purchase today, you receive 50% off.)

• Be clear and tell the listener exactly what they need to do next. (i.e. Ask about adding an extended warranty for added peace of mind. Or, Add this to your purchase, Stop in to see our display, etc.)

3. Generate Referrals

Your customers are your best source for referrals. With this in mind, remind them not only about how great you are, but how you’re also the perfect fit to help family members, friends and colleagues. Be specific, and offer referral incentives to customers to create advocates for your brand.

(i.e. Refer a customer and save 10% off your next purchase. Or, “refer a customer and you get 1 month of service Free!”)

4. Grow Your email List or Followers

When you engage customers and prospects on the telephone, you can also use this media as a vital source to create interactions long after they’ve hung-up the phone. Can you say; “No-brainer!”

Since you have the undivided attention of your call, it’s the perfect time to use targeted messages to help increase sign-ups, subscribers and enrollments. How? Invite them to visit your website and sign up for your free monthly newsletter or e-club (discount club/coupon club). After all, email marketing is all about growing your list with targeted, interested audiences. Your callers are that audience.

Encourage callers to join or follow your social networks. Once again this allows you to engage the caller long after they’ve disconnected the call. However, we recommend being creative by telling them about a contest such as posting a picture to instagram, twitter or facebook. When there’s something in it for them, they more likely to act.  Also include any special hashtags or handles they should be aware of to make it easy for them to find you.

5. Promote Trade Shows or Other Special Events

If your company is exhibiting at a tradeshow, or hosting a special event, once again your callers are some of your most targeted and interested prospects. So, let folks know where you’re exhibiting, what your booth number (making it easier for them to find you) as well as promote any show special offers, give-a-ways, etc.)

A retail appliance store client of ours routinely holds monthly cooking classes at their store. The concept is brilliant, they get existing and potential clients to attend free cooking classes using the appliances being sold right in the store. If you do something similar, once again you should be sure to include this information in your messaging including specific dates and times of the event. Maybe it’s a fundraiser or charitable event your business takes part in. Once again, including that information in your on hold marketing is a great pr tool for your business.

When someone calls your business, it might seem as if the hard part is over, but that’s far from the truth. The reality is getting them to call is only half the battle. The other half is how to make the most of that inbound marketing and engagement opportunity by leveraging it to drive sales and revenue.

Thinking about using on hold messages for your business? Give us a call, or take us for a creative test drive with our risk free demo trial.  Have questions? Drop us a line in the comments section, or hit us up on facebook.