On Hold Message Strategy Helps Reinforce Offline and Online Marketing Campaigns

Whether your business is new or old, online or offline, marketing is essential. But online businesses can benefit from traditional “offline” marketing, just as brick-and-mortar stores can use the Internet to promote themselves. And using both mediums together can result in even better returns on your marketing investments.

Integrating Online and Offline Marketing  

Integration is very important because you will be missing out on many potential customers if the online and offline aren’t working together. For example, if a prospect comes across an advertisement for your business without your website address in it, they won’t be able to access further information and will go to another business. The goal is to have all your marketing efforts supporting each other, working together to promote your business. There are obvious ways to do this, such as including your URL or domain name on every piece of promotional material that you send out, but only one unique, highly-target marketing vehicle accomplishes this dual-sided offline/online approach. What is it? On Hold Message Programming!

You can create the perfect combination, marketing harmony if you will, when your offline marketing efforts, lead back to your online marketing campaign. Encouraging customers and prospects to connect with your brand online, prompted by your offline marketing cues (and vice-versa). When the two are properly merged they form a symbiotic brand presence, which can double campaign effectiveness, increase consumer trust, strengthen brand credibility, enhance visibility and improve lead generation.

While demand for customer service via social media is on the rise, according to a study from New Voice Media, consumers still find good old phone calls to be the best way to contact businesses. In fact, some 45% of respondents believe that calling a company is the most effective way to get their problem solved!

So, let’s look what happens when you integrate an on hold message as a part of your overall marketing strategy. First, it’s role in offline marketing. A number of studies have been conducted, which highlight consumer perceptions of on hold message programming, and how it successfully employs best practices in the handling of customer calls, and reducing caller hang-ups which is estimated to cost businesses billions of dollars in lost potential revenue each year. Can your business afford potential lost revenue?

Maybe your brand has an emphasis on using print or direct mail marketing techniques? Use your on-hold message to broadcast content which can play a significant supporting role to raise awareness, of any print or advertising circulars and easily promote time-sensitive events, special offers, sales items, seasonal lifestyle products and more.

You spend a lot of time, money and effort to capture customers’ attention, and with having custom branded on hold audio content, you’re able to emphasize particular attributes of your business such as location, store hours, or special promotions or services, etc.

Going to a trade show? Sure you should use online techniques for promotion, but why not promote it in your on-hold message advertisement for online and offline support? For example, your message on hold can inform callers quickly supporting online and offline efforts. Here’s an example”: “Grab Your Calendar and Mark the Date! XYZ Company will be attending the National Trade Show, May 8-10 in San Diego. Stop in, sit down, take a load off your feet and visit us at booth # 1181. Meet our staff, see new products, or enter to win an all-inclusive 3 day cruise. For further details visit  www.xyzcompany.com/tradeshow for our exhibitor brochure, and also enter to win a free 3 day cruise.

Brand style, tone and ‘voice’ must blend between online and offline campaigns to present a united brand front. On Hold Message Programming is an effective ally to promote, engage and encourage (targeted) listeners to join your online campaigns and social channels.

Promote Online Campaigns

With a little creativity in your on-hold message script content, you can effectively promote online campaigns, and grow your customer or lead base by promoting website, landing pages, and social channels. Most online marketers already know that increasing sign-ups and building that valuable “email marketing list” is gold for current and future sales opportunities. 

Think outside the box, and be creative within your on hold message marketing to get callers interested. For example, don’t just say “Hey sign-up for our newsletter” and expect people to come in droves. Consumers care about three things: (1) finding value, (2) saving time, and (3) spending the least amount of money possible. Your marketing messages need to speak to these points directly. What’s in it for them!

View the marketing message content from the listener’s perspective. A more powerful way to get callers interested might be: Visit our website where you watch how-to videos, and find helpful article resources at our blog. Stay “in the know” and  subscribe to our monthly newsletter! Each month we’ll deliver to your inbox helpful tips, new developments and you’ll enjoy exclusive, private discount offers not available elsewhere.

Promote that landing page. Remember you have a captive, interested audience. Now what you’re going to do with them is the million dollar question? Savvy marketers today know that sending email, social media, and search traffic to their homepages is the equivalent of throwing leads away. Instead capturing these leads is achieved at a much higher rate by sending them to targeted landing pages  that allow visitors to download your content offers (ebooks, whitepapers, webinars, etc.) So, why not mention this in your on hold message?

You need to give them a reason to get social. Once again we encourage you to think outside the box. If your company uses Twitter ,mention your handle and say thanks for the add. If you’re seeking more Facebook fans, then tell your listeners about all the benefits of becoming a fan of your brand and what’s in it for them; whether it’s to participate in contests, or get Facebook only exclusive discount. A seeming growing trend is also online reviews, use your on-hold message as a way to encourage customers to provide positive reviews about your brand online, which can also assist in achieving better search rankings. 

When crafting on hold message content, you can create the perfect blend of strategic integration to maximize offline and online efforts with its cohesive marketing. It’s a seamlessly synchronized strategy, and regardless of your campaign, medium helps with wider audience reach, better leads and increased sales!