How To Properly Use On Hold Messaging For Your Business

With all the studies and statistics about music on hold and message, there’s no doubt that using on hold messaging is an effective way to please your callers while waiting for you to answer their calls. Message on hold isn’t new, in fact you hear them almost daily at most successful businesses, but unfortunately many fail to use this targeted marketing technique properly.

Do you wear the same clothes in January as you do July? Isn’t your Halloween candy a bit stale by Thanksgiving? Customers’ needs and habits are always changing, and successful brands are the ones that are able to meet those changes.

The only thing worse than having no hold program at all, is having a stale, outdated message! The last thing you want is for your on hold recording to annoy and frustrate customers. Marketing managers have a lot on their plate, so it’s tempting to put your on hold messaging on auto-pilot, but when you fail to be proactive with your on hold marketing, what seems like a small mistake can actually kill your big opportunity for customer satisfaction!

Don’t let your music on hold be a one hit wonder. If routine callers hear the same information month after month, year after year, they know you’re not staying connected to their needs. I don’t know of any successful business that runs a once for all of time marketing campaign. Do you?

The proper on hold marketing strategy for your business is to keep the message on-hold content fresh, relevant and up to date with what’s happening at your business. Below are 4 reasons why you should take a proactive approach to using on hold messaging properly for your brand.

Fresh Messaging Tells People You Care About Them and Their Loyalty

When you take the time to change your message periodically, it conveys to your callers that you are engaged with them and care about how they feel when being put on hold. Conversely, having to hear the same old message time and time again tells people that you have better things to do than think about them when they’re simply waiting to speak with you.

Fresh Messages Keep Callers Informed Of Your Latest Developments.

A fresh message is ideal for informing your customers of up-to-date news and info about your business. You can tell your customers about special deals and sales, inform them of new operating hours or new locations, and also let them know that you are adding new product lines or more services to your business offerings. You can even offer a promo code via your message that can help you track how many people are buying from you based on the message they hear.

Fresh Messages Can Help Promote Seasonal Lifestyle Changes and Tips

Many businesses have special seasonal tips or advice to offer throughout the year. Instead of having your callers hear the same tired message you recorded months ago, change your messages with the seasons and then offer up some tips that correspond with each season. For example, if you run an HVAC company you can inform callers of pre-season a/c and heating system tune-ups to keep them comfortable, lower energy costs and help prolong equipment life with proper preventative maintenance.

Fresh Messages Helps Foster Brand Loyalty

Your on-hold messages should not just be thought of as a way to keep people on the line, but rather looked at as an opportunity to improve customer loyalty. Variety is the spice of life, and it’s no different when it comes to the on hold experience at your business. Keeping content fresh allows customers to think of you as a valuable and trusted resource they can go to, and keeps your business top of mind when they’re ready to make a purchase and builds an army of loyal customers who keep coming back.

So as you’ve discovered, the proper way to use on hold messaging at your business is to have a strategic, proactive approach to the on hold experience at your business, by keeping content fresh and allowing you to stand out in a “sea of sameness.”