Music and Message On Hold Blog

In chess, the Rook derives its power from moving in a straight line. Employing your corporate slogans, mottos and tag lines on hold will keep your marketing message moving in a straight line.

This is part of a series on crafting a winning on-hold marketing strategy.

In the game of chess, the Rook can be a misunderstood piece. Perhaps thatʼs because of the way the piece looks. Despite its appearance, the Rook is not derived from a tower or a castle. In the history of chess, the Rookʼs power is developed from the strength of the chariot — fast and powerful. And like a chariot in battle, it can move swiftly across great distances as long as it moves in one direction.

The same is true for your brand. There are tried and true elements of your corporate identity that you can deploy quickly that resonate with customers. We often refer to those elements as core branding identifiers, because they rarely change and they carry your identity a long way in corporate battle. In addition to your business name, your corporate identity is inherently contained within your slogans, mottos and taglines.

Here are just a few examples of this phenomenon:

• “It pays to discover.”
• “The World on Time.”
• “Have it your way.”
• “Are you in good hands?”

Most companies offer a core product or service that is readily available from competitors within their own markets. Maybe directly across the street. Ironically, some businesses promote what they do or sell independently of their corporate identity. And thatʼs like playing chess without either Rook. They are playing without the full power of their brand.

The intentional, systematic use of a corporate slogan or tagline is an effective distinguishing factor, especially in the context of tight competition. On Hold Companyʼs Concept Design team consults with clients to identify creative ways to employ slogans, mottos and tag lines on hold, ensuring you never leave your brand behind.

This is part of a series on crafting a winning on-hold marketing strategy.

Delivering a consistent message — on hold, online, in print and everywhere else — is key to a successful marketing strategy.

At On Hold Company, we believe a thoroughly strategic on-hold marketing campaign will include a combination of winning elements, similar to all the pieces in a chess set.  The first ‘piece’ that is needed is a commitment to delivering a consistent message at all client touch points.

When consulting with our clients, we encourage them to think deeply about all of their marketing content and mediums.  What image are they projecting via their website?  What points of emphasis are they making online?  How are they using social media like Facebook and Twitter?  What do their customers see and hear in TV, radio and print advertising?

There shouldn’t be a major disconnect between what callers see online (or in print) and hear on hold.  Rather, there should be continuity among all customer touch points.  Yet companies often fail to promote their website and Facebook page effectively and adequately in their on-hold messages.  Your on-hold campaign should be an open portal to both.

Without question, your company is making sizable investments of resources into all of these areas.  Studies show that businesses spend 94 percent of their advertising budget to make the phone ring, but only 4 percent in effectively handling the call when it rings in.

By incorporating a thoughtful on-hold strategy, you can ensure that your company is delivering a consistent message with every call.

In on-hold marketing, as in chess, it takes strategy to be successful.

A love for the game of chess runs in my family. My father was the president of his high school chess club. He taught me to play chess and think strategically as a teenager. Slowly, I learned what each piece could do and began to play intentionally with the end in view. In time, I won more games than I lost and eventually competed in a statewide match. (I have a medal in my stash of high school memoirs somewhere!) My son plays now, and I enjoy challenging his strategy.

Strategy is essential because winning is never automatic — not in chess and certainly not in the context of a corporate on-hold marketing campaign. But very few companies take the time to formulate a solid on-hold marketing strategy. Instead, most tend to think of on-hold messaging only in terms of a script or an audio production. And that’s like trying to win a game of chess by using only one piece of the whole chess set. It won’t happen.

At On Hold Company, we believe a thoroughly strategic on-hold marketing campaign will include the following ‘pieces’:

• Delivering a consistent message at all client touchpoints
• Producing truly creative audio marketing
• Using slogans, mottos, and taglines
• Rotating marketing announcements regularly
• Delivering ads via an advanced technology platform
• Deploying an “extra Queen” (That’s right… an extra Queen)

We will explore each of these elements of a winning strategy in more detail in upcoming blog posts.

More than ever, strategy is the distinguishing factor between merely have something “on hold” and truly driving growth and maximizing brand awareness.