When Your Image is On the Line
You may not think of your phone system as an advertising machine, but it can be a very powerful one if used correctly. There's two primary ways to immediately use get some marketing ROI out of your phone system: Promotion on Hold and Information-Only Mailboxes.
Promotion on Hold
If Clear Channel charges thousands of dollars per minute of airtime for a NON-captive audience imagine the value you've got with your CAPTIVE audience when they're on Hold. Instead of playing generic elevator tunes, replace your valuable air time with professionally recorded phrases about your company's services. You could be increasing sales while improving your image.
Many companies play a local radio channel for their Music On Hold. Never mind that the FCC would call this illegal, but worse, the radio channel could advertise your competition! With a proper Promotion On Hold system in place, statistics show that callers stay On Hold longer and they will request products or services mentioned.
Implementing Promotion on Hold requires purchasing an On Hold device (range $199 - $499) and then applying professionally recorded scripts. The best service providers allow you to submit a script via the web or email and then they professionally record it and download the recording over night to the On Hold device. When shopping for this service keep in mind the following:
- Start with your phone system vendor. They have experience with the best Music/Promotion On Hold providers and will either carry the product themselves and support it or refer you.
- Service should include a package of scripts and changes (usually one script is included when you buy the device). If not, get the pricing for each change. Price will usually be an annual or monthly subscription for a set number of changes or unlimited changes ($40-$150 per month).
- Ask for a free trial. The good providers will install the equipment, produce a custom script with your choice of music/voice talent and you will have 30 days to test with no obligation.
- Scripts should be quick and easy to change. Perhaps you want to advertise seasonal products or you want to add a Jingle Bells instrumental in the background for the month of December. Ideally, this should involve the click of a Submit button on the web and when you arrive at work the next morning, your new script is playing.
- If you have multiple companies on your phone system, ask your phone system vendor how many sources of Music/Promotions On Hold you can allow. If the answer is one, then your Promotion on Hold must be general enough to cover all companies. Otherwise callers to Company A will hear mention of Company B, which is not always good!
Information-Only Mailboxes
Usually your phone system will accommodate "virtual" mailboxes that can play greetings only (instead of taking a message). These can be tied directly to an individual phone number or be extensions off of an Auto Attendant. Think of a real estate company advertising a property. You call a phone number and just listen. Apply this concept to your company's direct mail campaign and then count the number of callers to give you a solid measurement of response. Or take it a step further and after the main greeting is played have it say "To talk to one of our representatives now, press 1. To request additional information, press 2." Viola! A sale on or qualified lead on the line!
Many phone systems already have some form of this capability so there would be no additional cost. If you're shopping for a phone system, be sure to include this function in your required feature list.
