FREEPHONEONHOLD.COM

As a business person, your daily schedule is probably jammed with meetings, deadlines, and other pressures that come at you from all directions and without warning. The last thing you need is to be inundated with information that you don’t really need to run your company.

You can’t afford to get bogged down in the minutia, if you are to be effective. One of the critical areas of your concern is marketing, but, while you must be actively involved in deciding the direction of your company, you shouldn’t have to get into the trenches to make it happen. You hire experts to do the work.

One of the most important and cost-effective marketing strategies to consider is creation of an on-hold communications program that helps brand your business and engages callers with important sales and other information of value to them when they are put on hold. Again, there is no need for you to sweat the small stuff when setting up this kind of program; however, you should be aware of the process so that there are no surprises. Here’s what to expect:

• Supplier reviews your phone on-hold marketing needs
• Supplier takes the order
• Supplier conducts script survey with client to determine content
• Supplier conducts research of the client company and industry to establish competitive differences/nuances
• Supplier presents content and style ideas to client
• Supplier-selected technicians determine inter-connect parameters at client location(s)
• Supplier assigns local technician(s) for client
• Supplier verifies location equipment
• Supplier selects and orders equipment
• Supplier dispatches technician to install equipment at client location(s)
• Supplier selects voice talent with client
• Supplier produces on-hold content for client approval
• Supplier downloads final on-hold content

From start to finish, the process—reviews to equipment installation to production to fulfillment—for a first-time client takes approximately 7-10 days. A point person at the phone on-hold company should be established to ensure consistency, timeliness, and any follow-up.

Each phase and any subsequent changes should go through this point person for greatest efficiency. Phone on-hold companies with in-house talent and production facilities will provide the greatest flexibility and fastest turnarounds for any changes.

The telephone is your first and most important point of contact with your customers. Make it a positive, productive experience for them and your company. While there may seem to be a lot to accomplish and monitor with a phone on-hold marketing program, you needn’t stress yourself or your managers with this process.

An outside supplier such as Phone-On Hold Marketing will take care of all the details so you don’t have to, yet, you’ll still maintain the control. For more information, call 800-465-3102 or e-mail info@phoneonhold.com.

Phone On-Hold® is proud to announce this month’s new clients:

• Batteries Plus #041 (Avon, IN)
• Batteries Plus #546 (West Allis, WI)
• Costco #252 (Barrie, ON, Canada)
• Costco Business Center #578 (San Diego, CA)
• Eyemart Express #158 (Richmond, VA)
• Eyemart Express #159 (Henrico, VA)
• Haley & Associates (Newbury Park, CA)
• Hyatt at Fisherman’s Wharf (San Francisco, CA)
• Hyatt Dulles (Herndon, VA)
• Hyatt Manchester Grand San Diego (San Diego, CA)
• Hyatt Regency New Orleans (New Orleans, LA)
• Hyatt Regency Savannah (Savannah, GA)
• Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort (Honolulu, HI)
• Olivas Links Golf Course (Ventura, CA)
• Penske Chevrolet of Cerritos (Cerritos, CA)
• Pet Care Services (Colorado Springs, CO)
• West Kauai Medical Center (Waimea, Kauai, HI)

View the original Phone On-Hold® new client announcement.

Remember the last time you called a company and were put on hold? Did a recoding say, “Sorry you’re on hold?” What impression did that make? Were you any happier that you called? Did it make you feel positive about the company? Did you learn anything of value? Would you call again?

Chances are you received the message, but missed the point. You didn’t need to be reminded that you were on hold. The company you contacted should have taken the opportunity to engage you, help create a better rapport, positively reinforce the reason you called, and, otherwise, make its brand more important to you by providing information of value to you.

That’s just Marketing 101 and any successful salesperson will tell you when, how and what you communicate are all critical factors in the sales process. So, at the very first contract, use that phone on-hold time to share information that will help increase sales, retain customers, and raise the visibility of your brand.
Like all other forms of sales communications, your on-hold telephone marketing system has to be both functional and dynamic. When we can help, contact Phone On-Hold Marketing Systems 800-465-3102 or e-mail info@phoneonhold.com.

Everyone uses the telephone, but not everyone does it well. Particularly, for those of you in business, you need to connect to prospective customers immediately, even when you have to put the phone call on hold. Be a marketing phoney and use the on-hold time to enhance your brand, generate leads, communicate information of importance to the callers, and up-sell potential buyers; all while you have direct access to this captive audience.

Think about meeting new people. What’s the easiest way to break the ice and engage them? Simply, ask a question. The same holds true when you have people calling your business. If you have to put them on hold, be a real phoney and prompt them with questions.

For example, let’s say you have an automotive repair company. Chances are the caller has a specific need when he or she makes contact, but they are not familiar with your shop and/or may not have considered some of your other services. So, while they are on hold, ask them if they knew you have been in business for x-number of years or that your mechanics are factory-trained. Ask them if they want to save a certain percentage of their gasoline costs by using a fuel additive or if they were aware that a new air filter would improve their mileage.

While some businesses view on-hold message systems as luxuries or unneccessary, today’s successful business owner must find effective, inexpensive ways to draw in and develop new or additional business. Moreover, when a prospect is ready to buy, you want your brand to be top-of-mind. Professionally produced, on-hold phone messages will help you keep prospects on the line longer, give you new opportunities to sell and position your company as the brand they need. And let’s not forget that, if you also provide information while they are on hold that could be of service to your customers, their experience in dealing with you will be more valuable to them, which can enhance sales long-term.

Your telephone is an important part of your marketing arsenal. Even when they are on hold, talk with your prospects. Be a phoney! Enhance your brand! Get more business!

More than 10 years after joining the Phone On-Hold® team, as office manager and head of the accounting department, Pamela Smith is finally ready to retire.

Smith started with the company in February of 1999, and she will soon be retiring from her post at the end of August.

Pete Turpel, CEO of Phone On-Hold®, as well as the rest of the staff, congratulate her on this exciting time.

“Pam has been an invaluable part of our team, not only because of her hard work, but also because she is a genuine pleasure to be around,” Turpel said. “We’re sad to see her go, but we wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors and congratulations on beginning this new chapter of her life.”

Smith said she is excited about spending more time with her husband Ron, whom she calls “Mr. Wonderful,” as well as visit with her three children. She also has hopes of becoming a grandmother in the near future.

Despite her retirement, Smith will have lots to do outside of Phone On-Hold®. She is currently in her second year as event chair for the Simi Valley Relay For Life. This October, she will also be taking on the presidency of the Kiwanis Club of Simi Valley.

Good luck, Pam! We’ll miss you!

Notwithstanding all the hi-tech forms of communication today, the telephone remains one of the most effective sales tools a business can employ. Incredibly, many companies ignore the potent, “first strike” marketing strategy involving the use of phone on-hold messaging. And that lack of attention can mean lost sales.

Hey, the prospect called you, so what are you doing to keep them engaged and in a buying mood if you have to put them on hold? Here are some considerations when putting together your phone on-hold programming. First, keep your content current and not canned. Also, make certain you can make changes quickly, seamlessly and inexpensively. Remote load delivery is the best and most efficient means.

If a trained announcer is used, he or she should be clear and professional sounding; not grinding, shrill, robotic or unintelligible. Your on-hold “talent” should sound soothing, friendly, and sincere and they should match up with your business style.

Music is better than dead air, but be careful. Not all callers will appreciate certain kinds of music. Know your audience. If your clientele happens to be Baby Boomers, chances are they may not be into Rap. On the other hand, if your business caters to teens, Frank Sinatra’s greatest hits may not work for you. Whatever music you may use, make certain it is digitally produced, clear and not overpowering. Some of the old systems out there still use tape recordings that can stretch and lose clarity when played too often.

Also, if you use music only on-hold programming, callers tend to equate their hold time with the number of tunes they hear before someone answers their call. Break it up with quality voice messages that present your specials, events, store hours, and other information that may be of value or interest to the caller. After all, it’s what you say, not what you play, that is most important.

You have a captive audience, so use this time wisely. Always remember, this is your first point of contact and it should leave a good impression, while enticing callers to stay on the line until you can talk with them live. Inform, service and sell these prospective customers, but make certain your messages are professionally produced and that your marketing messages are clear and effective. It’s all about sales, company branding and positive perceptions, so don’t let noise or dead air get in your way.

Phone On-Hold® is a small company; not unlike the majority of businesses throughout our wonderful country. We believe in our 10 employees, as they are our greatest asset and they are the means by which we will continue our growth.

That being said, we are in business to make a profit and, yet, our government seems bent upon making it more difficult nearly every day. The restrictions, taxes, and, now, the so-called healthcare reform bill all hamper our ability to continue to make progress and build our companies.

As chairman of the Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce, I recently went to Washington, DC to meet with our California Congressman Elton Gallegly and U.S. Chamber of Commerce representatives to discuss how business will be impacted by the new, national healthcare legislation.

In a word, it’s a mess! In fact, instead of helping more Americans, it certainly appears that it will have the opposite effect and force businesses to cut other benefits in order to pay for this newly mandated, bureaucratic, nightmare.

Back home, we had to take a hard look at our expenses, especially, the rising healthcare costs. We already offer a good benefits package that includes a 30-hour work week (full time in our company), available IRA program, nearly 30 paid days off annually, and chiropractic care paid at 50 percent. We did some research and found an insurance plan that allowed us to lower our expenses and up our coverage. We now provide fully-paid health insurance to our employees.

Everyone seems to feel they are entitled and that the government will take care of everything. Government is not the answer. Business is! Instead of wringing our hands and preaching doom and gloom to everyone who will listen, I urge everyone with employees to find ways to make it work. Now is the time to invest in our companies and that includes our valuable employees who will help us grow moving forward.

Pete Turpel

(Newbury Park, CA) According to the On Hold Messaging Association, 90 percent of all telephone callers placed on hold by businesses will drop off the line in an average of 40 seconds, if they are not engaged with a quality, on-hold message. Moreover, a third of those who do hang up never call back the original business, which means countless sales may be lost.

Phone On-Hold Marketing Systems, which specializes in providing professionally-crafted, custom, on-hold marketing programs, is doing something to change the patterns and help companies capture more business when the telephone rings. Phone On-Hold is offering businesses access to a variety of free, on-hold messages at no cost or obligation at www.freephoneonhold.com.

In making the announcement, Phone On-Hold President Pete Turpel said, “Companies are missing out on significant sales opportunities and we want to help them increase their profits, while introducing them to our full range of services. Downloading the free messages is easy to do and adds a professional touch to any business. Once a businessperson tries this turn-key program, we are confident they will want to upgrade to receive the full, very cost effective benefits of on-hold marketing.”

He added, “The free messages are fine, but they are not specific to a particular business. The more targeted a message is the more effective it is. Think about it. Someone already interested in your products or services calls and, while they wait for you to pick up the line, you can tell them about your current specials and pre-sell them before you return to the phone. It’s a captive audience in a buying mood; the ideal marketing scenario.”

For more information and downloading of the free, on-hold messages go to www.freephoneonhold.com or call 800-217-2193.
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About Phone On-Hold Marketing Systems:
Phone On-Hold Marketing Systems was launched in 1984 by former radio broadcaster Peter J. Turpel. The company specializes in custom-designed, on-hold telephone marketing systems that now serves clients throughout the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Its headquarters is located at 810 Lawrence Drive, Suite 150, Newbury Park, CA 91320. Telephone: 800-465-3102. Fax: 800-465-3753. E-mail: info@phoneonhold.com.

I recently met with California Congressman Elton Gallegly in his offices in Washington, D.C. to discuss current legislative issues than may affect our state. The visit was part of an official trip made with some of the leadership of the Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce. I’m the chamber’s chairman this year.

Phone On-Hold's Turpel Goes to DC

We’re breaking new ground with the addition of daily news updates for clients using Phone On-Hold Marketing Systems. This technological innovation is called the Phone On-Hold News Network and we’re the first to bring it to the United States. We’ll broadcast the latest news, sports and entertainment right to your on-hold communication network. The delivery of this current content every day is an effective means of keeping those callers engaged until you can get to them . . . and your business will set itself apart from the others with this unique marketing tool. Give us a call at 800-465-3102 or e-mail info@phoneonhold.com.