Sound marketing: Why you should do it
Mark Williamson of PH Media Group discusses the benefits of sound marketing.
With all the pressures of setting up a new business, marketing your venture can easily be pushed to one side. After all, there are business plans, bank managers, insurance, premises and staff to deal with. But attracting customers is the only way to get your business off the ground, and there are many innovative, cost-effective ways to market your company using a tool that you probably already have; a telephone and sound marketing.
Good call handling is not just good practise – it’s good marketing. Keeping your callers informed and entertained provides an excellent first impression of your business, extends your business’ relationship with its customers and helps convey your identity as a trusted partner. It also means you reduce caller hang-ups and makes life easier in terms of customer service.
Answering the phone in a polite, professional manner gives a great first impression of your business before customers have even set foot in the door. A half-hearted ‘hello’ will put customers off straight away. Ensure your team confirms your company name so callers know they haven’t misdialled. Also, tell the caller your name; they’ll appreciate a personal touch and customers like to know who they’re dealing with.
Think about how your business sounds down the telephone line. If you have to ask them to hold, they don’t want to hear the ‘clunk’ of you putting the phone on your desk and rustling through papers. A professional on-hold message is a great opportunity to tell your new customer more about you, the services you offer, special promotions, opening times and website address. Use every opportunity to communicate with your customer; even when you’re not speaking to them.
Customers don’t want to spend half their day calling companies to ask for quotes or information. If their query can be answered elsewhere, your website or Facebook page for example, tell them so while they’re waiting via your on-hold message. The easier it is deal with your company, the more likely it is the customer will return.
As well as showcasing your services, marketing is also about creating a brand for your company. You’ll probably have worked hard establishing a visual brand, but what about how your company sounds? Ensure the music you play in your business is reflective of who you are as a business and what your customers would want to listen to. Up to 90% of consumers admit they would be more likely to enter a retail space that played music, so make sure the right music pulls people through your door. Beware of simply playing the radio as your run the risk of hearing advertising from your competitors and ensure you have the correct music license.
Utilising resources your business will already have in place to market your business is an innovative and cost-effective way of telling customers what you’re all about. Incorporating music and voice into your marketing plan allows your business to sound as good as it looks.
