For businesses – especially franchises – improving and protecting a brands image is an integral part of marketing, taking years to build up, and mere days to bring down.In the constant race to improve and maintain brand image, companies spend a large portion of their advertising budget on print and television ads – which assist in getting customers through the door, but leave little budget for improving sales processes.
Companies that invest in phone marketing, such as pre-recorded messages, are able to keep customers engaged whilst on hold by communicating the latest special offers, business news and other information.
The figures, according to the On Hold Messaging Association (OHMA), show that 94% of marketing budgets are spent on enticing people to call, whilst only 6% is spent on handling calls.
In essence, businesses are missing out on key opportunities to turn enquiries into sales and to present the brand as wholly professional, not just on the outside but internally too.
For a franchise business, consistent, professional brand marketing is critical to maintaining the integrity of a brand and ensuring that a customer’s first point of contact is an accurate and good reflection of a brands values and personality.
According to other research by OHMA, 7 out of 10 callers to a business will be placed on-hold, with the average hold time being 30 seconds. Though short, what you do with this time makes a difference.
OHMA reports that an effective on-hold messaging program can reduce caller hang ups by almost 79%, with 88% of callers preferring to listen to messages about the product or service they are interested in, rather than chimes or the radio.
A professionally recorded, entertaining and informative on-hold message is the first opportunity to make that great first impression, capture leads, and most importantly to protect your brand.
As leading suppliers to a wide range of successful franchise groups across Australia, and as award winning producers of creative on-hold messages, 1800 ONHOLD can set you up with a marketing tool to add to your collateral that lowers the number of missed opportunities and increases sales in just 30 seconds.
For more information visit Zoo Business Media’s website, or call 1800 664 653 to take up the 1800 ONHOLD 14 Day Free Trial.
