Congratulations on taking the first steps to enhance your internal communications by investing in a Media Messages’ telephone message on hold program. Telephone on hold messaging is truly an effective way to promote your business to a group of people who are already interested in your product – thereby giving you a chance to reinforce the benefits of your products and services and the promotion of secondary products and services.

Our aim is to see you get the best return on your investment, so below are a couple of tips to help you compose an effective message on hold script.

Keep it Short and Sweet
Don’t waffle on – you will lose your audiences attention. Rather keep your audio messages short and sweet, clear and concise. You have 15-30 seconds of their time, MAX – so make sure you get straight to the point and identify “What’s In It For Them”.

Don’t Speak in Riddles
Ever heard the saying, “Keep it simple stupid”? It couldn’t ring more true for your on-hold audio advertisements. Don’t try to use humour that the bulk of your customers are likely not to understand. Again – Get. Straight. To. The. Point.

Don’t Use too many Sound Effects or Character Voices
It can be really exciting to be creative and come up with fun ways to promote your products and services, but sometimes what you’re thinking in your head, won’t work over the phone. Whilst it is nice to spice up your telephone message on hold program with the odd character voice or sound effect, too many can just be, well, annoying.

Focus on ONE Product or Service
You don’t need to fill every message with all your products and services. Instead carefully select one, and then focus on educating your customers on the benefits of the product and why they need it.

Select Appropriate Music Beds
Think of your business. What image are you trying to portray? Who are your customers and what will appeal to them? We really wouldn’t suggest playing techno music if you are a professional services company for instance (well for most anyway).

Call to Action
And don’t forget to tell your customers what you want them to do. If you’re a tavern and promoting a special night of entertainment, tell your callers to book when you return to the call. If you’re running a competition, get them to ask how to enter.

Just as you would with any other marketing campaign, make sure you plan your telephone message on hold script, and make sure you have relevant messages playing to your customers. Be clear and concise, yet entertaining and informative.