Successful 'On-Hold' Messaging

Make your phones work harder. Put tell-and-sell to work on hold.

Delivering sales and marketing messages on hold is an idea that's gaining momentum among small businesses. Sure, you want to avoid putting anyone on hold. But if you must, why not make the most of it? Don't waste that time with sleepy music or radio stations that carry someone else's ads! Instead, use the opportunity to "tell and sell." Successful ads on hold:

1. Make a small company sound big
2. Deliver an effective combination of information, voice and music
3. Transform "dead time" - however brief - into sell time or customer service time.

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Evaluate options, equipment and pricing

Explore different on-hold messaging options and learn what questions to ask before making your choice among the many solution providers.
Try: The On Hold Messaging Association, with about 70 member companies, offers helpful information about how on hold messaging works, how to evaluate providers, program design, equipment types and pricing.

Quick solutions and free custom demos

Try out free customized demos before you decide.
Try: Easy On Hold offers a range of quick message on hold solutions for small business and will craft an original demo message for your business.

Show me the money

Get details on how on-hold messaging can make money for your business.
Try: On Hold Marketing Services, Inc. is another vendor offering free demos. The Web site has free reports for download explaining how on hold messaging can make money for your business.

Combine toll-free and virtual on-hold messaging service

A hosted "virtual" PBX system with toll-free service and on-hold messaging can make a small business look a lot bigger.
Try: Freedom800.com offers virtual telecom services with PBX style functionality, automated voice messaging, on-hold music, call routing, virtual fax and more.

Run it through your own PC

For an in-house solution, try software that turns your own PC into an on-hold message and music player.
Try: IMS is a computer-controlled on-hold message player. Install the software on any Windows PC and connect the computer's sound out socket to your office phone system. You can continue to use the PC as normal.

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