The Perfect Music On Hold Message

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.

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!'