What is On Hold Marketing? & How it Can Boost Your Business

We know what you’re thinking – no one wants to be put on hold!

But during this rare pause, your callers are at peak engagement, giving you the perfect chance to tell them more about you! 

Known as on hold marketing, this phenomenon is proving popular with organisations of all sizes. 

Let’s find out why exactly… 

So, What is On Hold Marketing? 

On hold marketing offers a fantastic window of opportunity to provide information about a product, service or event to callers who are queueing, holding or transferring via the phone.  

The situation is so unique in that you’re in direct contact with a captive audience that’s already actively listening out for a call to action. So why not use this moment to showcase your brand and tell them something they don’t know about?  

Whether you’re a retailer wanting to offer an exclusive deal, or a charity wanting to educate callers on the amazing work you’re doing – you really can’t go wrong with leveraging the power of on hold marketing. 

Some ‘On Hold’ Stats… 

They say the proof is in the pudding! Here’s some interesting facts we’ve learned about the increased popularity of on hold marketing… 

• 60% of callers hang up if there’s no message or music; 
• 73% of consumers want to hear something other than beeps or silence while on hold; 
• 90% of callers hang up after 40 seconds if they’re not engaged by a voice; 
• 30% of customers who hear an on hold marketing message make a purchase of that product or service! 

That last statistic really does speak volumes. A single pre-recorded message has the potential to yield 30% extra conversion. Yet there’s so many organisations that haven’t tapped into this additional, lucrative revenue stream!  

The Benefits 

As the stats above show – having a professional, personalised on hold marketing message can open a lot of possibilities – but below are a few core reasons why on hold marketing is so useful for boosting businesses:   

Reduces Hang-Ups 

As we’ve discovered, 60% of callers hang up if there’s no message or music, so it’s vital to acknowledge and hook callers from the get-go to keep them engaged. 

With on hold marketing, you are heightening the caller’s customer experience, making it more likely for them to stay around and take action. If a caller must be placed on hold, here’s a few ideas on how you can fill the silence: 

• Telling the caller interesting facts about your business 
• Describing loyalty programmes, current promotions and events 
• Inviting callers to follow your social media channels and browse your website 

TOP TIP: Regularly change your recorded messages so returning customers don’t get fed up with hearing the same thing repeatedly. 

Plus, on hold marketing has been proven to lower a company’s complaints rate by giving customers reassurance that their call is still connected and reminding them of the reasons that they should choose you compared to competitors.  

Increases Sales 

On hold marketing means you can effortlessly offer your callers better value for money and drive sales through upsell and cross-sell promotions. 

Through pre-recorded on hold marketing messages, you can more easily tell your callers about exclusive discounts, which will encourage repeat sales and strengthen customer loyalty. 

For charities, you could use on hold marketing messages to boost donations and even generate leads e.g. enticing callers to sign-up to give a donation to receive a free t-shirt, badge or tote bag for example.  

Low-Cost Solution 

The cost of on hold marketing is significantly lower compared to other marketing methods, yet is much more effective at getting your customer through the sales process. 

For example, most on hold marketing packages are paid monthly, which is the perfect solution for small businesses. At Mango, included in your package, we offer all the below free of charge: 

• Telephone audio marketing 
• Licensed on-hold music 
• Voiceovers to suit your branding 

All produced in our in-house recording studio! 

Mango’s On Hold Marketing Solution 

Making a great first impression over the phone can make a significant difference to your sales figures, customer loyalty and their experience.  

Maximise your business opportunities with Mango’s on hold marketing services. We also offer high-quality phone answering and message taking services as part of an overall package, so you don’t ever have to miss a call again! 

To find out more, talk to Mango today.