30 June 2011
Royalty Free Music for your On Hold Messages
A compelling telephone messages on hold program is more than just a well written script, rather, it is a combination of professional voice artists, sound effects and the use of royalty free music to represent your brand.
Music has that distinct ability to enhance any presentation, and it will most certainly give life to your telephone on hold program. Your music on hold is just as important as any other aspect of your on hold messaging program, it is therefore important that you choose wisely, and choose a beat that best represents your brand and it's values.
Music is a power in itself, just as it is an industry in itself, so there are a few crucial things to consider when choosing music for your telephone on hold program.
Music to Match your Brand
It is universally known that music has the power to affect our emotions, and as a result can affect our moods. Royalty free music is no different, and can often be found in libraries where they are segmented into categories of the feelings they evoke.
Understanding who your customers and what your brand's values are, should help you choose a music track for your telephone on hold program. What messages are you trying to convey? How do you want people to view your organization? And what mood are you trying to create for your customer? By considering these questions, you are more likely to select a sound track that is aligned with your brand's values, and should relate well with your callers on hold.
Legal Obligations
You can't just select any piece of music; you must have the rights to use it first. Unfortunately, the music industry wouldn't survive if anyone could take the latest number one hit and use it for their own commercial use, nor would they be able to protect their 'own' brands, so it is important that you know your boundaries before using music that you do not have a license for. In fact, the cost for obtaining a license for the use of popular soundtracks is well out of reach for most small to medium companies (and the cost for using them illegally is even higher!)
Don't despair though, there are many outlets and resources for you to find the perfect melody for your on hold program from various royalty free music libraries, just do your research first and keep your music on hold legal!
Use Music to Magnify Impact
A good audio technician and production company will have the right resources and software to mix the volume levels of your music to really highlight important messages in your production. Not only will this help your voice artist to better tell your story, but to also keep your listeners engaged and entertained.
Keep it Fresh
Keep your listeners intrigued and update your music every so often. Repetition can cause people to switch off, so make sure you keep your music on hold fresh, and update your tracks every so often so that your telephone on hold marketing material is fresh and ear catching!
Ultimately, everything you do in regards to your branding should have a level of continuity; your music on hold is no different. Make sure it reflects your brand, your culture and your company's values, whilst also connecting with your customers.