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music overhead announcements small business

4 Audio Marketing Strategies for Small Businesses

Small businesses working with limited resources are often overshadowed by competition from larger businesses with larger marketing budgets. And yet, small businesses need to outshine competitors and distinguish themselves from the rest, just like the big guys. So what to do? By incorporating affordable yet effective audio solutions such as Message On Hold, Overhead Announcements, Background Music, and Podcasts, small businesses can match their larger competitors when it comes to brand awareness, customer communication, and customer satisfaction.

Message on Hold

First impressions are extremely important to small businesses. The chances of your Message On Hold being a prospect’s first impression of your business is likely, therefore should be capitalized on. By incorporating a professional and informative hold message into your business’s marketing tactics you can enhance the perceived image of your brand.  And during call transfers and peak hours, an effective on hold message has the potential to decrease caller hang-ups and keep callers on the line longer, ready to do business.

Small Business Message On Hold Ideas:

  • Tell callers about current or upcoming sales.
  • Explain what makes your business unique from competitors.
  • Answer FAQ’s.
  • Announce time-sensitive information like upcoming events or limited time offers.
  • Introduce new products.
  • Provide alternate forms of communication like where callers can find you on social media.

Podcast

A podcast is another word for audio blog. Content is delivered in an interesting, informative message that packages content and personality. Providing your target audience with useful podcasts will increase the opportunity to build a following and reach your clients and prospects. Podcasts are extremely affordable and effective. The more creative and engaging you are, the better!

 Small Business Podcast Ideas:

  • Answer FAQ’s
  • Interview an industry expert
  • Give information on upcoming events, products, or services.
  • Turn your company newsletter into a podcast. Talk about what has been going on at your company.
  • Give listeners a set of tips about a particular topic related to your business.

Overhead Announcements

For retail stores, or businesses where customers are often physically present, overhead announcements are an effective marketing tool used to target the already captive audience–in-store or onsite customers. This particular audience is already interested in what your business offers, so overhead announcements serve as the perfect marketing opportunity to further engage them.

Small Business Overhead Announcements Ideas:

  • Promote new products or services.
  • Market a product or service that can potentially cause a significant financial gain or higher profit margin.
  • Business branding
  • Announce current or upcoming sales.
  •  Inform customers about your business hours, or holiday schedules.

Background Music

For retail stores, or certain types of businesses, background music can be a productive element. If overhead announcements are not appropriate for a retail store, music is still a viable and desirable option. Music triggers emotional responses. In a retail business setting, the emotional response can enhance the shopping experience. Background music should be chosen based on the theme of your store, and should fit the interests of customer demographics, and the products and services you offer.

Background Music Information:

  • If the customer likes the music your business is playing, they are more likely to stay in your store longer and come back more often.
  • Music played loudly and at a fast tempo with increase perceived time duration. If customers are waiting in line at the register or fitting rooms, the wait time may seem longer than it actually is.
  • Softer and slower music are responded to more positively than louder and faster music.
  • Rhythm and tempo have the greatest influence on shopper experience.

Small businesses can captivate and impress potential customers using these and other audio marketing strategies.  If it can be communicated via sight, the same message can probably be communicated through sound, either to reinforce or to reach people in a non-visual setting. With professionally produced audio messages you will reach and influence more potential customers, stand out from the competition, and help your small business grow.

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music presentations voice over

Taking Your Presentations To The Next Level With Audio and Voice

Our world has become increasingly more digitized and with that has come a greater focus on the visual. Whether on social media (Instagram) or home entertainment (TV’s with OLED and 4K technology)–we are used to being visually stimulated. Now your average company presentation, with its tired PowerPoint slides and 1980’s clip art just won’t cut it anymore.

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message on hold music resources

Message on Hold: Music & Your Brain

Ever hear that one song, and as soon as it comes on you want to start dancing? The affect music has on our brains is undeniable. Music affects our brains so much that it has become popularized for therapy. Parents have even been encouraged to teach children how to play an instrument to increase brain function. With new research coming out about music, it’s surprising that it is used so little in the customer service experience. Learn how you can utilize Music on Hold in your business to calm, and encourage your target audience.

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licensing message on hold music

Permission to Use Music – On Hold

We often get inquires about using popular music on hold. Of course, you can certainly use whatever type of music you want on hold, but be warned you must have proper permissions and licensing. Music licensing is no joke! I’ve taken the time to share a guide of what is required to play music on hold. In this case I’m theoretically (and befittingly)  trying to get the rights to the song “On Hold” by The XX.   If you never heard it, here’s a link to the video where you can check it out! Step One- Find the Rights to the Song

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licensing message on hold music

Myths & Misunderstandings About Music on Hold Licensing

Myth: “I can use this music for free because I found it on the internet”.

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customer experience music overhead announcements

The Right Choice in Music Can Lead to More Efficient Business

While the old train of thought was to keep customers in your store longer to increase a chance of purchase, a keen observer of how their business works will notice that isn’t always true. Often it’s more a case of the customers speed in moving through a store. In that area, selecting the right overhead business music can help you make the customers experience more efficient without sales decreasing.

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customer experience music podcast

Podcast: Does Background Music Improve Customer Experience?

The customer experience begins with the first interaction of your brand or organization. If your customers are engaging with your company in a physical space, like a store, restaurant or waiting area their experience will be positively or negatively impacted by the quality of the environment.  Is the presentation of your setting favorable?  Is it clean and inviting?  Does it have visual interest that’s engaging like digital signage or decor reflective of your image? Are you using sound to elevate the customer experience? 

By evaluating your venue from all aspects and making positive adjustments, you will improve the customer experience.  An often overlooked element of customer experience is background music and the role it plays in how well a customer finds their interaction to be.  Choosing appropriate overhead music can have an effect on customer behavior.  Volume, tempo and genre are key factors which have an effect on behavior as found in a study done regarding “Effects of background music on Concentration of workers”.  Be sure to choose a business music service which has the music content to suit your target audience. When done correctly the right overhead music can boost your business.

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customer experience music overhead announcements

How the Right Overhead Music Can Boost Your Business

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There are a lot of components to a great business. Great customer service, a great location, and a great product are all key factors in determining the overall success of your business. But one often overlooked feature that can keep customers returning is the right choice of overhead music. From grocery stores to restaurants to calls placed on hold, here are some ways that music can help (or hurt) your business. These ideas come from an article on Business Insider, which references an academic article published in European Journal of Scientific Research

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music overhead announcements tips

How Do You Choose The Right Business Music For Your Company?

We all have been in stores and restaurants where some type of music is playing in the background.  Sometimes we like it and sometimes we don’t. So, how do you go about choosing the right business music for your company?

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music overhead announcements resources

Top Effects Overhead Music Has On Behavior

Music is often thought of as just for entertainment but it can also be used to accomplish other objectives. Generally, overhead music plays in background of production facilities, retail stores, restaurants and offices to manufacture certain desired attitudes and behaviors among employees and customers. The volume and type of music that is being played might be the reason you are not getting more sales and being more productive.