Fall into Great Marketing Habits: Get Your On-Hold Messages Ready!

Ah, fall. It’s a time when kids head back to school, the temperatures begin to cool, and Mother Nature awes us with her show of color. It’s also a great time to get focused on your business goals so that you can slide into the end of year on a high note. There are many things you can do to get yourself motivated for this home stretch, and one of the easiest is to update your on-hold messages.

What is going on in your business that you can share with your callers this fall? For instance, car dealerships are looking to empty out their 2012 inventory to make room for the 2013 models. Many other companies also strive to clear inventory by the end of the year, so consider featuring a different product weekly in your on-hold message.

Of course, there are a number of holidays coming up in the next few months, and this is a great time to tie into holiday preparations. Halloween, Thanksgiving, and winter holidays seem to come earlier each year, so get your customers ready by offering them specials or bringing attention to these events.

If you don’t have anything about autumn, winter, or end-of-year events to share in your business, a change of season is still a great time to update your on-hold message. How about an educational tidbit? An answer to frequently asked questions? When we turn the page on a season, it’s always a good reminder to test your smoke detectors, replace the batteries in your emergency flashlights, and update your on-hold messages.

Still not sure what to say in your fall on-hold message? Our team of scriptwriters will create compelling copy that our talent will record and our editing team will put together so your customers will WANT to be on hold!

Are You Listening to This?

It’s been proven again and again that on-hold marketing messages work. This method of reaching out to prospective and existing customers is likely one of the most cost-effective integrated marketing methods companies use. But just knowing this fact isn’t enough; you need to make those on-hold messages really work for you.

There’s a saying in marketing: “Content is king.” While that’s true, that refers to written content, which is a far cry from content that one hears on the phone. When it’s written — on a website, brochure, or sales letter — the reader has time to digest it and even go back and reread if needed. But when it’s heard while waiting for a customer service representative to come back to the line, it may slip away before the customer even tunes it. The best way to approach on-hold messages is to be straightforward and repeat salient points, or even words. For example:

“Termites. They can cause a lot of damage. You don’t like termites, and neither do we. Ask us how to schedule your termite inspection when we come back on the line.”

The word “termite” was mentioned three times in a short little bit. While written copy may use a word often like this to rank in search engines, it can be overwhelming to repeat the same word over and over when reading. However, when listening, one may not tune in until she hears the word “damage” (a pain point); when she’s captured, she’ll be listening for what causes that damage.

Remember that customers who are on hold are considering what they want to say to the person who picks up and may have a host of emotions circulation in their heads — taking them away from listening to your on-hold message. So make it concise, targeted, and repetitive, and you’ll find them tuning in more and more.

Questions about how to create great on-hold messages? Our team of talented scriptwriters has the answers. Contact us now to learn more.