Generally a receptionist, who must put a customer on hold in order to transfer them to the relevant person within the company, answers the call. This period when the customer is on hold is the perfect opportunity to promote your business and inform them of certain products and services they may be unaware of and to promote upcoming company events.

Don't expect your customers to know everything about your business. Many sales have been made specifically due to having on hold messages played to customers while they wait to be attended to. It is necessary to keep them focused entirely on your business. It's basically like having your best sales person talking directly to them.

Do people really listen to on hold messages? Don't be mistaken for thinking that people switch off; they most definitely do listen to telephone messages while on hold. These days it's becoming progressively harder to capture new customers, so this is a perfect opportunity to project your company's culture and values to your new prospect. The style of music, voice artist and script you choose are critical to your success and you don't want someone that is difficult to understand or has an annoying voice.

Messages on hold is a powerful marketing tool for your business. The more your customers know about you, the more they will spend. Clever marketing is the key to the success of your business. Don't make the mistake of promoting your rivals to potential customers by playing radio stations. Keep them totally focused on your business and reap the benefits.