When customers call your business, you want to help them as quickly as possible. But during busy periods, putting callers on hold is sometimes unavoidable. What happens while they wait can influence how they feel about your business.
Instead of leaving callers listening to silence or repetitive music, use that time to share helpful information about your products, services, and company. A professionally produced message on hold keeps your callers informed, reinforces your brand, and makes better use of time spent waiting.
What Makes a Good Message on Hold?
An effective message on hold is informative, engaging, and easy to follow. It gives callers a reason to stay on the line without overwhelming them with too much information.
The best messages balance useful business information with a friendly, conversational tone. Rather than delivering one long sales pitch, share a variety of short messages that give callers something worthwhile to listen to.
Consider including:
- Products and services: Highlight what your business offers and how you can help.
- Special offers and promotions: Share current deals, seasonal promotions, or upcoming events.
- Business information: Remind callers of your hours, location, website, or other useful details.
- Company news: Introduce a new service, announce an opening, or share an important update.
- Helpful tips and interesting facts: Give callers something useful or entertaining to listen to while they wait.
Keep the information relevant to your audience, and save the detailed explanations for when your team returns to the call.
How to Write an Effective Message on Hold Script
A good message on hold script is written specifically for people who are listening while they wait. That means keeping the language natural, the sentences clear, and each message focused on one main idea.
Keep individual messages short. Aim for roughly 20 to 40 seconds per message, depending on the amount of information you need to share. Shorter messages can work well for callers who are only waiting briefly.
Mix up the content. Alternate between promotions, helpful information, and lighter content to avoid making the recording feel like a continuous sales pitch.
Write for the ear, not the page. Use everyday language and avoid long lists, complicated sentences, or details that are difficult to remember after hearing them once.
Allow room for music. Short musical breaks between messages give callers a moment to process the information and create a more relaxed listening experience.
Review your messages regularly. Outdated promotions, incorrect business hours, and old contact information can leave a poor impression. Schedule updates when your business information or offers change.
Choosing the Right Voice and Music
The way your message sounds matters just as much as what it says.
Professional voice talent brings clarity, personality, and consistency to your recording. The right voice should suit your brand and feel natural for your audience. Depending on your business and the style of your messaging, using more than one voice can also add variety.
Music helps create the overall listening experience, too. Choose music that complements your brand and sits comfortably beneath your messages. Avoid tracks that are distracting, overly loud, or mismatched with the impression you want to make.
Your voice and music should work together, keeping the recording pleasant to listen to without competing with the information being shared.
Match Your Message on Hold to Your Callers
Think about why people call your business and what they might want to know while waiting.
A retailer might highlight seasonal products or upcoming promotions. A dental office could share information about services, appointment preparation, or office hours. An automotive business might promote seasonal maintenance or explain available services.
Whatever your industry, the goal is to give callers relevant information that makes their wait more useful.
It’s also worth considering how long callers typically spend on hold. If most waits are brief, prioritize concise messages that get to the point quickly. For longer waits, a wider variety of content can help keep the recording engaging.
How Professional Message on Hold Production Helps
Creating an effective message on hold involves more than recording a script and adding music. The writing, voice talent, pacing, music selection, and final production all contribute to the listening experience.
At On Air Audio Services, we help businesses turn their key messages into professionally written and produced recordings. Our team can help shape the script, select suitable voice talent, and produce audio that reflects your brand.
Whether you need to introduce your services, share promotions, or improve the experience callers have while waiting, a well-planned message on hold can help you make better use of every call.
Ready to Improve Your Message on Hold?
Hear examples of message on hold recordings created for different industries, or contact On Air Audio Services to discuss your project.
Explore industry examples:
- Auto parts
- Car dealerships
- Hotels
- Restaurants
- Insurance
- Retail
- Dental offices
- Health-care providers
Let’s get started! Contact On Air Audio Services to discuss your message on hold recording.
