Looking for a Low Cost Way to Boost Sales?

It's a tough economic climate at the moment so every business needs to make sure that every marketing dollar or pound is working as hard as possible. Like the majority of companies, you would have spent the vast majority of your marketing budget inducing your prospects to call your company - how much budget have you set aside to handle that call once it is received? The answer is probably not much. The good news is that you don't have to spend mega money to handle that call and at the same time boost your sales.

A simple but effective method to increase your sales is to implement an On Hold message system. Instead of leaving your callers listening to silence, play them an message on hold which informs prospects of the products and services you offer and the benefits they bring. For a minimal cost you could have a promotional message to play to a captive audience.

An on hold message is crucial to keeping your callers on the line. At a basic level, an on hold message provides comfort and reassurance to the caller that their call is being dealt with and has not been disconnected. If a caller only has silence to listen to while they wait they are more likely to hang up and are likely not to call back. A lost call is a potential lost sale and who can afford to lose sales? Your lost caller is also likely to be left frustrated and angry and may well pass on their unhappy experience to friends and family.

Messages on hold can also introduce callers to products and services they may not be aware of. Don't assume your caller knows everything that you offer, this is an ideal time to increase awareness and exposure and to cross-sell your product lines. Studies have shown that some callers make additional purchases based on the information they hear while they are on hold.

It is also not as expensive as you may think to employ the services of a professional voice artist to record your on hold message. Professional voice talents can bring their experience of reading persuasive sales messages in a clear and credible manner. They will also provide you with a high quality audio recording to make the listener experience even more positive. So why not consider incorporating an on hold message in your marketing mix.

When preparing your message on hold, here are some ideas that you may like to include:

1. Tell callers about your new products and services.
2. Call attention to other divisions or related business areas and use the opportunity to cross-sell related services
3. Mention current promotions, price offerings, seasonal specials and any available discounts.
4. Ask your callers to sign up to a newsletter or email to receive free information
5. Tell your callers about your business opening & closing times
6. Answer any frequently asked questions - doing this can help save your customer service team time and resources.
7. Share some expert tips and advice with your callers.

Once you've created your on hold message you now need to decide who is the best person to record it. Instead of using a company employee why not consider employing the services of a professional voiceover artist. A professional voice talent can provide a high quality audio recording in a audio format specific to your phone system requirements. They are also experienced in reading sales messages and delivering them in a clear, professional and persuasive manner. By using a professional voice artist you show that you appreciate and value your caller by providing them with a clear, easy to listen to voice and a high quality recording that doesn't offend their ears!

Once you have decided that an on hold message is a simple, cost-efficient method of marketing your products and services, and a message on hold is far better at preventing call abandonment than silence. Your thoughts will turn to the voice that you would like to record your message on hold.

Why not consider using a professional voice talent to provide you with a top quality recording and may not be as expensive as you may think. With the advent of the internet, your choice is no longer limited to using local talent, now you have a whole world of voice artists to choose from. But unlimited choice doesn't make your decision any easier, so what are key areas you should consider before making your casting choice?

Firstly, automatically narrow the options by 50 per cent by selecting either a male or female voice. A female voice is more usual for telephone system recordings, but you may feel your product or service would benefit from a male voice -perhaps your main client base is male orientated?

Secondly, consider which accent you would like to hear. Would your message benefit from an international feel - choose a UK, US or perhaps Australian accent. Or would your customers expect to hear a more local or regional voice?

Thirdly, choose a voice artist who has experience in providing telephone system recordings. Are they able to provide the audio in the format required by your phone system? Its worth confirming with your telephone supplier what audio formats are acceptable to your system, so you have this information to hand when you approach a voiceover artist.

There are many other factors that will come into play when making your casting decision, but remember to choose a voice that reflects your company's image and brand.