On hold messages for business that really accomplish your goals is a challenge. Every successful on hold message is built on developing great content (yes, on hold messages is a form of content marketing) that motivates your telephone caller…your customer or your prospect…to act.
According to AT&T, 69% of business telephone calls are placed on hold, and 47% of callers are asked to wait for 30 seconds or longer. Up to 90% of callers asked to hold for more than 40 Seconds hang up, and a third of those will be annoyed enough that they’ll never call back.
On hold messages for business are an opportunity
Smart businesses know that #holdhappens. They know that hold time can cost them customers, loyalty, and their reputation. But they also know that it’s an opportunity that messages on hold can help them put to use.
The truth is that using compelling messages on hold gets your callers more interested in your company, your products and your services. Callers can learn what’s important when considering your products, and what makes you different from your competition.
Recording on hold messages for business that actually work
It’s easy to record a bunch of messages about your company. But most hold messages, even those recorded by “professionals” don’t help. And they can hurt. (How many times have you hear that well known “Your call is important to us,” or “We are experiencing a higher than normal call volume”?) Messages like these let your caller know that they’re not worth much more than a generic, mindless message. I’m sure that’s not what you what to give your customers.
Messages that simply try to sell something…anything…to anyone, merely by pushing and pushing, only turn callers off.
Message on hold are an inbound marketing tool that can really work. They’ve been proven to help you sound more professional, shape your prospects perception of “what’s important” when shopping for your products, and increase sales to existing customers.
A well crafted on hold message will drive business. You’ll get inquiries from your callers about the ideas they hear.
Your messages should talk about the problems, desires, and goals that are most important to your customers (we call them their “hot buttons“) The should follow a well thought-out strategy.
Your messages should be written for you caller, not for your ego. Each message can be on a different idea or topic (or hot button) that you want to define and show that you can solve. Content quality is the key to achieving your goals. Think about your caller: they’re wondering WIIFM (What’s In It For Me)?
Where do you look to find ideas for great on hold messages for business like yours?
We like to start by asking the people in your office who are “on the front lines” and answering your phone calls, or in your customer service or sales departments. They’re the ones who interact with the customer first hand, and hear their problems and needs.
Remember, creating on hold messages isn’t Rocket Science. You can easily use the to “improve your customer’s experience” when they contact you, if you don’t just try to sell. Sales Guru Jeffrey Gitomer says that “nobody likes to be sold. But they love to buy.” Just keep in mind that the customer comes first.
Need ideas about getting started with your newest marketing tool? Call for free Discovery Session to discover what you can accomplish. Call (800) 862-8896 today.