What Flavor Is Your On-hold Message?

Fall flavors of the season are everywhere: pumpkin-spice lattes, apple cider, cinnamon, nutmeg…but the real question is: What is the flavor of your on-hold messages? Do they represent the season, or do they still taste like ice cream, cotton candy, and summer?

As we move into a new season, it’s important that your targeted marketing changes to reflect what’s happening in the world. Consumers expect to go into a brick-and-mortar store and see Halloween items in October, Thanksgiving items in November, and trees and menorahs in December; what they don’t expect to see in those months are pool toys and swimsuits. Likewise, when consumers call your business, they expect to hear messages that are in tune with the season.

Even if you don’t have seasonal messages in your on-hold queue, the change of seasons (and expectations) offers the perfect opportunity to update what you’re sharing with your callers. If customers are calling you regularly, they’ll soon grow tired of hearing the same information over and over. Give them something new to fill their ears and keep them tuned in!

As you prepare for all of the fun upcoming holidays, take a moment to see what you’re telling your customers. It should be regular practice to call in to your business and listen to your on-hold messages monthly to make sure everything is current. Sometimes, we just forget about what we have in our messages because we get caught up in the daily life of the business. Make it someone’s role to check what you’re sharing — in your on-hold messages, social media, blogs, website, and print materials. Too often, it can get out of date and no longer be relevant.

So tap into the flavors of the season. After all, who doesn’t love a good pumpkin-spice on-hold message?

Set the Mood with On-hold Messages

Imagine walking into what you think is a whimsical frozen yogurt shop. Its name is fanciful and the exterior is bright and vibrant. But upon entering, you are greeted in formal language, muted colors surround you, and classical music plays overhead. There’s nothing wrong with these elements on their own or in another setting, but combined, they don’t effectively match the desired mood of the frozen yogurt shop.

Think of on-hold messaging as a way for you to set the mood and expectations that your callers mentally visualize about your business. This could even be the first experience a caller has with your company, so this is your chance to combine the right mix of components that connects with them.

Here are a few tips for establishing your on-hold messaging mood:

Remember your target audience

A pediatrician’s office could set a formal mood if their callers are primarily other doctors. But if their callers are typically worried moms, creating an empathetic, soothing mood might be more effective.

What’s a match for your business?

Just because your industry is usually perceived as serious doesn’t mean that you’re locked into a mood. For example, an orthodontist could put the importance of flossing while wearing braces in perspective by using a lighthearted or humorous mood that might resonate better with patients: “Who wants spinach from their breakfast omelet showing up on their date?”

Mix up the mood

The overall message you’re trying to relay determines the mood. A sushi hotspot may normally feature upbeat promos about happy-hour specials, but if they’re advertising that a portion of next month’s proceeds will benefit a local family, a serious, urgent approach could work better.

What this really shows is that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to crafting the right mood. American On Hold can help you take your industry-specific factors into consideration and craft the on-hold messaging that fits your business.