Stop Wasting Your Callers Time – How to Write a Script For Messages on Hold
July 29th, 2009 Filed under: Uncategorized — Advertising Author
When you decide that you’re ready to inform your callers about how you can help them better with Messages on hold, remember a few simple ideas and the recordings your callers hear will be more than just a way to take up time.They’ll be a marketing tool. �
First, remember that your messages on hold are one part of your overall marketing strategy.�Whether you’re talking about print or broadcast advertising, direct mail or messages on hold, keep a clear picture in your head of what you’re long- and short-term goals are, and all your marketing tactics will be more effective.� �
Now consider your audience for your messages on hold.�Who calls you?�Are they customers or prospects?�Your approach will be different for each.�If most of your callers are first-time callers, you can work on establishing credibility, and suggest ideas that they’ll want to ask more questions about.�If most of your callers are existing customers, you have an opportunity to promote “complimentary” purchases (first they buy the bread, then they need the butter, too) or upgrades (upgrading a passenger from coach to first class earns you 600% more profit.) �
What are their most common questions?�What do they want?�What do they need?� These are the key questions to ask yourself (or to ask them) every change you get.�In the end, marketing is about making it easier for your customer to fill their needs and desires, and less about trying to sell something that no one wants. �
Next, consider what are you trying to accomplish.�Sell more?�What do you want to sell?�Do you have some products or services that are more profitable than others?�Do some sales lead to future sales (first they buy the bread, and then they need the butter)? Are your callers ready to buy, or are they shopping around (A homeowner with a flooded basement is different from one who wants to remodel their kitchen!)� �
Don’t get distracted by the technical side of messages on hold, but don’t just ignore it either.�Most messages on hold play in a loop.�Callers start hearing messages when they’re put on hold, and the recording is cut off when you pick up the line again.�You can’t predict exactly how long they’ll be listening…but you’ll usually have the best luck if you write a several short messages (20-30 seconds each) each with a focused idea.�
Let the caller know that the message is complete by pausing for a few seconds (10 seconds is a good start, but use a longer pause if your hold time is unusually long). It’s common to fill this pause with music so to let you caller know they haven’t been cut off.�Again, since it’s a loop that doesn’t start from the beginning, each message should make sense on its own, and shouldn’t depend on hear more than one. �
Some new VoIP or hosted phone service are different.�They’re programmed to play the music or messages on hold from the beginning each time.�This could drive a caller crazy (or drive them to calling your competition) if they’re put on hold 3 or 4 times in a single phone call…and that does happen.
Casey Hart is the President of Informer Messages on hold. With Informer Messages on hold you get the most effective marketing message, and sound more professional. Informer Messages on hold are the Least Expensive Way To Sound More Professional.
Get Your Free Guide and Find Out How to Deliver The Perfect Sales and Marketing Messages at http://www.informermessages.com
