Article by Easy On Hold President Julie Cook

Why On Hold Messaging Is Working Better Than Ever

Let me share with you some thoughts about why Easy On Hold is growing in popularity, and why on hold messaging deserves a piece of your marketing budget. A recent article in Harvard Business Review provides excellent insight into modern sales and marketing:

In a media saturated world, persuading through interruption and repetition is increasingly ineffective. To engage consumers, advertisers must focus on where and when they will be receptive.

With traditional marketing means becoming less effective, smart marketers are shifting focus from targeted campaigns to ongoing presence. What role do you play in your customers’ lives? When they need you, are you there? When they call you and have to wait on hold, will you be a helpful, rewarding presence, even though you can’t come to the phone right away?

The telephone call you receive from a customer or potential buyer is an open door. Messaging on hold provides customer engagement when it provides relevant information.

Offer Value, Or Risk Being Ignored

Jeffrey F. Rayport is a Senior Adviser at Castanea Partners, a private equity firm, and former Harvard Business School professor. He authored the article I quoted earlier, titled Advertising’s New Medium: Human Experience. Rayport is one of many marketing experts warning business owners and marketing managers that today’s breed of consumer demands that every advertising message must offer value, or risk being ignored.

…marketers must fundamentally rethink their advertising strategy and execution and expand their definition of what, exactly, advertising is.

 

Think Engagement

Easy On Hold serves many credit unions across America. Credit Unions are community organizations; member-based, and generally do a better job of consumer engagement than most businesses. Engagement has been a big buzzword in credit union marketing circles, because it best describes the strategy of integrating the brand into the consumer’s life. Integration takes place through events, apps, social media, educational efforts, surveys, subtle sponsorships of community events, and more. Engagement is the art of weaving your brand into your customers’ lives.

It’s what Inc. Magazine called “The New Rules Of Customer Engagement”, identifying meaningful, ongoing contact as the key. This means exploiting social and mobile marketing, on-premise techniques and plugging holes in the customer experience (like the telephone on hold audio). When you hear about “creating winning content” to grab customers’ attention, or that “content is king”, you must remember the time they spend on hold. On average, 70% of your callers will spend time on hold.

Messages On Hold Are A Key Part Of Your Inbound Marketing Strategy

When you help callers while they wait, you build credibility and an image of integrity. The caller thinks, “Wow, if they went through the trouble to make these messages on hold so informative, this business will likely go the extra mile when I need them to…” The right time and place to make a connection with your customer is when they’re reaching out to you. It’s happening every day on your phones.