Frequently Asked Questions

What is Telephone Messages on Hold?

Telephone messages on hold are audio advertisements that are played to your callers on hold. Each message is strategically written to promote additional products, services and business information that your callers may not already know about. Think of it as a cross-selling platform for your business, but without any staff involvement, and without it being to confrontation.

What do I promote in my messages?

We suggest promoting secondary products and services, VIP nights, customer loyalty programs, seminars - basically anything they don’t already know about. They are already calling you because they know of one offering, but if you also provide other services / goods, then this is a great time to give a shout out to them. Address and directions is also important, along with trading hours and even a mention about staff members.

How long is each message?

You don’t keep your callers on hold for long, so make sure your messages are short and sweet. Get straight to the point, and don’t try to put too much information in one message - your caller simply won’t take it all in. We try to keep messages to approximately 10 - 15 seconds per message.

Should I include a Call to Action?

As with any marketing material, a call to action is the best way to ascertain if your marketing is working. Give your callers some direction - if they need to ask for a particular staff member, and then make sure to mention that in the message. If they need to book in for a seminar - tell them to do so when you return to their call.

Will I need to write the script myself?

No - that is all part and parcel with a Media Messages on hold message package. We have a team of creative copywriters who are experienced in writing scripts for audio advertising. All you need to do is fill out a copy brief with information about your business, and we will go from there.

Do I get to choose the Voice Artist?

Of course you do! This is part of your marketing, so you have full control. We have a library of talented voiceover artists for you to listen to. You have the option of just a male or female voice artist, or both. You just need to listen to the demonstrations and then let us know which voice artist you would like for your production.

Will I have to pay for the background music?

No. All of our music beds are royalty free and are included in our package fees. We are registered with APRA and PPCA, and we have cleared our music with them, so you won’t have to worry about receiving an invoice from them either. (If you play radio or a CD on hold, you would be slapped with an annual fee, please read our blog on APRA and PPCA Fees).

Where is my production recorded?

Media Messages’ head office is located on the Gold Coast, and we have 6 state of the art recording studios - the biggest of its kind in Queensland. Everything is done in-house, that’s why we can offer short turnaround times and extremely competitive pricing.

Can I include sound effects in my production?

Of course you can! You shouldn’t go overboard with sound effects as they are not always effective over the phone, but a sound effect here and there and certainly make all the difference in your audio production.

Can I put my audio production online?

You certainly can, and you certainly should. It’s your marketing material and you should get it out to the public every which way you can. We do ask though, that if you share our productions outside of the telephone that you attribute the production to Media Messages. For example, if you put it on your website, we ask that you attribute it to us: “Audio production produced by Media Messages” with a link back to our website - www.mediamessages.com.au.

Can you upload our audio to YouTube for us?

We certainly can! You just need to provide us with some visuals - logo and a couple of pictures so we can give your audio a visual component.

What sort of turnaround time can we expect?

This really depends on how quickly you can provide us with information. Once we have received notification from you to update your script, our creative copywriters will generally have your script back to you for final approval within 2 business days. Once you have approved the script, the production will be completed within 24-hours. Obviously, for more urgent requests, we can offer much faster turnaround times.

Will you remind me to update my telephone messages on hold program?

Of course we do! That’s all part of the Media Messages service. Depending on the package you chose, we will contact you accordingly to remind you to freshen up your message on hold program.

Do I need on hold equipment?

It really depends on your telephone system. Many telephone systems nowadays already have the messages on hold function installed, and all we need to do is upload your new program via the Internet, however, some phone systems do require digital equipment - which comes as part of our packages.

Are there any hidden costs?

Providing you stick with the updates provided in the messages on hold package you sign up for, there are absolutely NO hidden costs. We believe in honesty and integrity, so the price we promote is what you pay. The only time you will incur an additional fee, is if you need an audio production outside of what is included in your package - but as a loyal customer, we will provide you with a very competitive price.