Brands Are Shifting Marketing Investments To Custom Branded Channels For On hold and In-Store

Companies are shifting advertising and marketing money away from media they don’t control (TV, print, FM radio) to media they do control — and we’re not just talking youtube, facebook or social media platforms. Forward-thinking businesses have taken a different slant with their marketing efforts by providing targeted, personalized custom-branded audio and video content at crucial customer touch points — on hold and in-store.

Businesses usually only have a handful of opportunities to grab a consumer’s attention, especially after they’ve made the initial sale. Branded audio and video messaging is all about marketing, communication and enhancing the brand experience, while at the same time keeping you free from competing advertisers and distractions that come with other marketing channels.

Think about all the things that go into marketing your product, service, store or establishment! When you have custom branded marketing channels such as telephone on hold message programming, in-store music/messaging, or in-store video advertising – customers and prospects are only reminded of your brand at every crucial touch point.

Look at it from this perspective. If you advertise on radio, your ad is broadcasted among hundreds of others – causing you to get lost in the bombardment of commercials, wasting marketing dollars, not to mention the listener can simply change the channel. Do you include music to set the right atmosphere at your establishment? Sure you can subscribe to an internet or satellite music service, but the same problem exists – you’ll also be advertising other businesses.

Here’s how you can provide custom audio and video content to engage customers and give complete brand experience in-store and over the phone to drive demand and nurture brand loyalty.

On hold:

A study conducted by FastCustomer regarding “hold-time” compiled a list of more than 1,700 companies showing an average hold time ranging from between 5 minutes to as much as 13 minutes. No one wants to wait on hold for even a tiny fraction of that time, but hold is often unavoidable.

Carefully chosen, custom on-hold music and messaging can strengthen your customers’ relationship with your brand and keep callers on the line for up to twice as much time, giving you more opportunity to answer their calls and their questions. With the telephone still being the number one preferred method of contact by consumer, your brand needs a well-designed music program to engage callers. Use on-hold time to connect customers to your brand and enhance their experience, and you will increase sales opportunities as well as enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.

In Store Music/Messaging:

Does music increase sales? There’s more than meets the ear, and we’ll answer this with a resounding Yes! Much research has shown that background music enhances the mood of any store, influences spending behavior, keeps shoppers in your store longer and increases sales.

However many brands spend a fortune on advertising to get customers and prospects into their store. Yet, when they walk into the store they hear a radio, satellite music or even worse nothing at all. You’re missing out on valuable “air-time” at your business.

This is the only medium that is 100% targeted to people with a known interest in your product or service when they are in your store and ready to buy! Boost your bottom line by playing music and enhancing the in-store customer experience. Blend targeted messages with the right music to effectively communicate with shoppers, enrich the brand experience and increase your bottom line. It’s not magic. It’s the power of music.

In-store Video:

In a perfect world, your customers would never have to wait; you’d be able to meet their needs right away. The reality is that wait times are often unavoidable, but instead of allowing the time your customers spend in line or sitting in your lobby go to waste, put it to good use by engaging customers as they shop.

Up to 70 percent of consumers make brand decisions while they shop. Video is arguably the world’s most preferred medium. People are drawn to it because of its ability to tell a story quickly and completely. It provides customers with information they can use to make more informed buying decisions. It can promote the benefits and value of your products and services, and reduce their perceived wait times. On-the-spot commercials have proven persuasive with shoppers and lower advertising rates.

Whether you opt for custom branded video content to be displayed in one spot, throughout your store, lobby or waiting room, use in-store video to stimulate interaction, provide a more dynamic experience, differentiates your brand, keeps your customers happier and drives more sales.

While advertising can bring customers to a store, it can also work from within your store.  On hold Messages and In-store Music or Video advertising can:

1. Trigger recall. The human memory is far more likely to recall an item upon seeing it again. In-store advertising can serve to trigger such recall.

2. Introduce new products. Unfamiliar products may not draw people to a store, but within the store such products can attract attention through their sight and sound.

3. Promote sale items. While a “one day only” newspaper ad can draw people to your store, in-store sales place those lower prices in front of your customer and encourage additional — and even impulse — buys.

4. Provide more information. Communicate the information to your customers that will convince them to make smart purchases.

So, now that you’ve been enlightened to the numerous benefits of incorporating branded audio and video into your marketing mix the last question becomes do-it-yourself or hire a Professional?  Well, they don’t say that content is king for nothing, and Brands that get it right – WIN! The right music, messaging and visuals can have a positive impact on purchasing decisions, customer moods, store ambiance and brand image. Professional audio/video content production & marketing agencies know how to create compelling and engaging content, the right call-to-action and messages that are pleasing to the eyes and ears, and aligns with your brand values while generating measurable results.  Is it time you considered shifting investments to these custom branded marketing channels?