Music on hold is mostly art and partly formula. Getting the right mix between the two is key to producing a music on hold message you AND your callers will love.
First, write a great script, written for the ear not the eye, that explains what problem you solve, what makes you unique and other pertinent product or service info your callers want to know. Do not blather on about how great you are (see my last post below on this topic). It's self-indulgent and earns you no points with your callers.
Second, hire a voiceover talent(s) who reads conversationally, not mechanically. You can spot an amateur announcer a mile away because they put emphasis on unimportant words and read in a sing-song pattern. Listen for someone who is having a chat with your callers, not talking at them.
Third, use great licensed music. What will make music on hold sound like old-fashioned Muzak is synthesized music (where instruments are "faked" by electronic keyboards) to a beat that tries to sound funky and hip but comes across as, um, dorky. A quality music on hold provider will have a modern, fully licensed music library for you to peruse at your leisure via a music on hold jukebox.
Take those three elements and carefully balance them out between talking and music. For a four-minute production, keep your script to under 400 words. We prefer about 360-375, with a combination of 'meaty' content and 'thank you for holding' caller-retention phrases, with about 15 seconds of music between each section.
This careful blends gives your caller time to listen to your content, have a music break to digest it mentally, and then be ready to learn more about how you can help THEM.
And there you have it--the formula for a perfect music on hold message.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Monday, March 5, 2007
Don't Break Your Arm Patting Yourself on the Back
It's one thing to want to give your captive audience--your callers--helpful information with on hold messaging. It's quite another to abuse them with corporate platitudes only you care about. 'We are the only firm to... 'Our staff has 125 years of combined expertise...' 'Our mission is to provide the best...' Blah, blah, blah thinks your caller.
Why are these kinds of statements ineffective for music on hold (or really any marketing piece)? Two reasons: 1) Every other business makes the same vague claims, so the caller just tunes it out. 2) The caller is begging for you to tell them specifically how you'll solve their problem; they don't want to be forced to hear how great or smart or innovative or old or new or whatever you are.
It's not about you, man. It's about the caller.
When approaching your music on hold messaging script content, use 'you,' not 'we' statements and actions. That simple but distinctive switch in voice will force you to describe your products and services in a caller-focused writing style. 'You'll be on the road in no time with our hassle-free auto repair service. Out the door in one hour--guaranteed." This is different from "Our company is focused on providing excellent customer service." (Sound familiar?)
Many businesses find it hard to embrace this music on hold approach because higher ups love hearing how wonderful their company is. Fight this tendency for self-adulation and your on hold messaging will go from 'I hate being on hold' to 'hey, put me back on hold! I want to hear the rest of that!'
Why are these kinds of statements ineffective for music on hold (or really any marketing piece)? Two reasons: 1) Every other business makes the same vague claims, so the caller just tunes it out. 2) The caller is begging for you to tell them specifically how you'll solve their problem; they don't want to be forced to hear how great or smart or innovative or old or new or whatever you are.
It's not about you, man. It's about the caller.
When approaching your music on hold messaging script content, use 'you,' not 'we' statements and actions. That simple but distinctive switch in voice will force you to describe your products and services in a caller-focused writing style. 'You'll be on the road in no time with our hassle-free auto repair service. Out the door in one hour--guaranteed." This is different from "Our company is focused on providing excellent customer service." (Sound familiar?)
Many businesses find it hard to embrace this music on hold approach because higher ups love hearing how wonderful their company is. Fight this tendency for self-adulation and your on hold messaging will go from 'I hate being on hold' to 'hey, put me back on hold! I want to hear the rest of that!'
Monday, February 19, 2007
10 Ideas for Music On Hold Content
Not knowing what to say in your music on hold script can keep you from making the leap into on hold messaging. Chances are, you have a lot of information your callers can use. Here are some ideas:
1. Your hours. Sometimes callers just want to know your store or office hours when they call. Tell them in your music on hold message. They get the information they need and hang up, and you have one less call to manage.
2. Location and directions. If you're in a hard to find location, be sure to state your address and how to get there--but make it easy on the ear, or say, "now grab a pen because you'll want to write this down."
3. A special offer to reward callers for holding. Reward your callers on hold by creating a promotion just for them. "We know you're holding--in fact, we want to thank you for your patience by giving you 10% off your order. Just mention this announcement when we come back on the line."
4. Support your traditional media promotions. You've spent valuable advertising dollars to get callers to call. Take advantage of hold time by talking up your latest promotions that they heard on radio, TV, newspaper inserts and direct mail. Full-circle.
5. A testimonial from a client or two. We've all bought a product because of someone else's endorsement. This one works, and can easily be recorded over the phone.
6. An award or product you've received. Go ahead, toot your horn. You'll build credibility and trust.
7. A change in name, address, etc. Hold time is one more channel for sharing important news your callers need to know.
8. A change in procedures. One of our clients, a national beauty-products supplier, has recently changed their shipping costs. Since this impacts virtually every one of their clients, and their hold times are about 2 minutes, they're mentioning it in every other paragraph. Smart.
9. Share the love at special holidays. Classy companies take the time at major holidays, especially Christmas and New Year's Day, to wish their callers greetings appropriate to the season. If you're a chocolatier, Valentine's Day would make the perfect holiday to talk up. If you're a U.S. military clothing supplier, you might want a special greeting for President's Day, Flag Day, Veteran's Day, Independence Day and Memorial Day.
10. You're hiring. Customers can make the best employees because they're already "sold" on your business. Get the word out to your biggest fans--your customers on hold.
I hope these tips are helpful, dear reader. Still not sure what to say? Our professional scriptwriters are former journalists and advertising writers. Ferreting out what's unique about you and interesting for your callers is what makes their hearts beat wildly. In fact, I can hear the thumping right now. Let us know how we can help. Go online to www.easyonhold.com, or email me at julie@easyonhold.com.
1. Your hours. Sometimes callers just want to know your store or office hours when they call. Tell them in your music on hold message. They get the information they need and hang up, and you have one less call to manage.
2. Location and directions. If you're in a hard to find location, be sure to state your address and how to get there--but make it easy on the ear, or say, "now grab a pen because you'll want to write this down."
3. A special offer to reward callers for holding. Reward your callers on hold by creating a promotion just for them. "We know you're holding--in fact, we want to thank you for your patience by giving you 10% off your order. Just mention this announcement when we come back on the line."
4. Support your traditional media promotions. You've spent valuable advertising dollars to get callers to call. Take advantage of hold time by talking up your latest promotions that they heard on radio, TV, newspaper inserts and direct mail. Full-circle.
5. A testimonial from a client or two. We've all bought a product because of someone else's endorsement. This one works, and can easily be recorded over the phone.
6. An award or product you've received. Go ahead, toot your horn. You'll build credibility and trust.
7. A change in name, address, etc. Hold time is one more channel for sharing important news your callers need to know.
8. A change in procedures. One of our clients, a national beauty-products supplier, has recently changed their shipping costs. Since this impacts virtually every one of their clients, and their hold times are about 2 minutes, they're mentioning it in every other paragraph. Smart.
9. Share the love at special holidays. Classy companies take the time at major holidays, especially Christmas and New Year's Day, to wish their callers greetings appropriate to the season. If you're a chocolatier, Valentine's Day would make the perfect holiday to talk up. If you're a U.S. military clothing supplier, you might want a special greeting for President's Day, Flag Day, Veteran's Day, Independence Day and Memorial Day.
10. You're hiring. Customers can make the best employees because they're already "sold" on your business. Get the word out to your biggest fans--your customers on hold.
I hope these tips are helpful, dear reader. Still not sure what to say? Our professional scriptwriters are former journalists and advertising writers. Ferreting out what's unique about you and interesting for your callers is what makes their hearts beat wildly. In fact, I can hear the thumping right now. Let us know how we can help. Go online to www.easyonhold.com, or email me at julie@easyonhold.com.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Music > What do Easy On Hold and Martha Stewart have in common?
We can't stress how important music is to the quality of your music on hold production. Our music tracks, for example, are written by musicians who have penned jingles for clients like Cover Girl and who have collaborated with artists like Willie Nelson, Faith Hill, Queen Latifah and Ziggy Marley.
The other day I was watching Martha Stewart Living and heard one of our tracks. And same thing with the Rachael Ray Show, the Fox Movie Channel and Wife Swap. We're choosy about making sure our tracks are the best music in the industry--and you should be too. When you think about what makes a great on hold production, it's the music that your callers hang on to--or hang up to.
So here's to the best music for your music on hold. As Martha would say, "It's a good thing."
The other day I was watching Martha Stewart Living and heard one of our tracks. And same thing with the Rachael Ray Show, the Fox Movie Channel and Wife Swap. We're choosy about making sure our tracks are the best music in the industry--and you should be too. When you think about what makes a great on hold production, it's the music that your callers hang on to--or hang up to.
So here's to the best music for your music on hold. As Martha would say, "It's a good thing."
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Marketing > Music on hold is legitimate tool, says Guerilla Marketing guru
If you've been ignoring the possibilities of music on hold at your company, you're missing out on building critical rapport with your callers. But don't take my word for it. One of the biggest fans of music on hold is the marketing guru himself, Jay Conrad Levinson, author of the infamous Guerilla Marketing book.
In a column for Entrepreneur Magazine, Levinson writes, "If you absolutely must put callers on hold, let them benefit from your on-hold marketing by listening to music and fascinating news about your company, particularly about special offers and new products and services. Instead of resenting you, callers will appreciate you.”
Music. Fascinating news. Special offers and new products and services. The stuff of effective music on hold messages. So why is music on hold so...forgotten...by so many marketers? And hated by so many callers?
One reason could be the boring, cheesy, fake productions churned out by so many in our industry, often at the request of the client. It happens to us, too. The other day I wrote a script for a construction company. Now construction is not exactly a life-of-the-party kind of topic, but I made sure this company sounded engaging, interesting, worth doing business with. The company owner, however, wanted to 'reign it in.' So we mined copy from the website that was in that vague, corporatey, passive voice, never meant to be heard by the ear. It was boring, cheesy and fake.
The owner loved it. Sigh.
Is music on hold a legitimate marketing tool? Of course. But only when they are produced with an ear toward the caller, using active, energetic words and phrases that feel like a conversation, not a pitch. That's our goal at Easy On Hold--music on hold your callers will love.
Friday, February 9, 2007
USB on hold player tutorial>Video shows how to install mp3 player, load audio
Ready to install your new USB on hold player or load your mp3 music on hold file onto the 'thumb' drive? Watch our two-minute USB music on hold player video tutorial and you'll become an expert in mere moments. It is that easy. Still have questions? Call us at 1-888-798-HOLD (4653) or email us at production@easyonhold.com. View the video here.
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Music on hold > New mp3 players make on hold audio easier than ever
If you've been relying on CDs or cassette tapes for music on hold playback, you're working too hard. And if you're considering entering into an expensive monthly contract with an on-hold provider who provides 'internet downloads' on equipment that will have to be installed, you'll be paying too much.
Over the last year, the industry's equipment manufacturers have risen to the occasion with the introduction of mp3 players to the market. Labs like Nel-Tech, Pro-Digital and Premier Technologies make getting on hold marketing messages onto your phones faster and more affordable. It's plug and play technology; no installation required.
The players work using a USB 'thumb' drive--so named because the drive is about the size of an adult thumb--to transfer on-hold production files emailed to you as mp3 files. If you know how to drag folders around on your computer, then you can do this. In fact, my 9-year-old can do it. Watch our short video tutorial to see how easy it really is.
The benefits?
Over the last year, the industry's equipment manufacturers have risen to the occasion with the introduction of mp3 players to the market. Labs like Nel-Tech, Pro-Digital and Premier Technologies make getting on hold marketing messages onto your phones faster and more affordable. It's plug and play technology; no installation required.
The players work using a USB 'thumb' drive--so named because the drive is about the size of an adult thumb--to transfer on-hold production files emailed to you as mp3 files. If you know how to drag folders around on your computer, then you can do this. In fact, my 9-year-old can do it. Watch our short video tutorial to see how easy it really is.
The benefits?
- Speed. The delivery is instanteous because it's via email. No more waiting for your CD or tape to arrive in the mail, or an internet download overnight. As soon as you approve it, it's emailed to you.
- Reduced costs. No more shipping costs for CDs and tapes. And no expensive installation costs in order to have your messages downloaded over a dedicated fax or phone line. You plug these babies in and walk away.
- Permanent storage on your hard drive. If you like to rotate your on-hold CDs or tapes each month or quarter, you know they can be a hassle to store or protect from damage. That problem is eliminated.
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