On Hold Messages: How to Turn Wait Time into Marketing Time
- Thursday 30th July 2026
- Kevin Broughton
- On Hold
Every business puts callers on hold at some point.
The question is what happens next.
Silence makes callers wonder if they've been cut off. But a well-produced on hold message turns those seconds (or minutes) into an opportunity to inform, reassure and even sell.
Why On Hold Messages Matter
Callers who reach a hold queue are already interested enough to pick up the phone. That's valuable attention, and it's easy to waste.
Research into caller behaviour has consistently shown that hold time feels longer when there's nothing to listen to, and that callers are more likely to hang up during silence than during a message. A short, well-paced on hold message reassures callers they haven't been forgotten and gives them something useful to hear while they wait.
The Business Case
Beyond keeping callers on the line, on hold messages give you a channel that's:
- Already reaching an engaged audience (people who've chosen to call you)
- Free from the noise of social media or email inboxes
- Easy to update seasonally or by campaign
- A natural fit for promoting offers, new services or opening hours
What Happens Without One
Without a message in place, callers typically hear either silence, a ringing tone, a standard radio feed or the dreaded Greensleeves!
None of these do anything for your brand, and radio in particular carries a risk: adverts for competitors, unexpected content, or simply music that doesn't match your tone.
What Makes a Good On Hold Message
Not every on-hold message earns its place. The best ones share a few common traits.
Speak to the Caller, Not at Them
The most effective scripts sound like a helpful colleague, not a corporate brochure. Rather than listing every service a business offers, a good script picks out what's genuinely useful to someone who's already calling.
Keep It Concise
Callers don't want a lecture. Scripts should be broken into short, digestible chunks, typically informative bursts of a similar length, spaced with music in between so the message doesn't feel relentless.
Match the Voice to the Brand
A hair salon and a haulage company shouldn't sound the same on hold. The right voice talent, tone and pacing all reflect the personality of the business behind the phone.
Keep Content Fresh
Static messages become background noise over time, especially for repeat callers. Updating content seasonally, such as promoting a Christmas range or new opening hours, keeps things relevant.
Practical Steps to Get Started
If you're putting together your first on hold message, here's a simple approach:
- List what's genuinely useful: Think about the questions your team answers most often on calls, such as opening hours, new services, or delivery times.
- Write short, spoken scripts: Aim for content that sounds natural when read aloud, not lifted from a webpage.
- Choose a voice that fits: A warm, friendly voice suits most businesses, but the right choice depends on your industry and audience.
- Pair with suitable music: Music should complement the voice rather than compete with it.
- Review and refresh regularly: Treat your on hold message as a living part of your marketing, not a one-off task.
Real-World Example
Simply Lunch, a family-owned sandwich supplier with over four decades in the food-to-go industry, wanted their on hold audio to keep callers informed about new product launches and seasonal offerings. Their solution blended evergreen content with seasonal promotions, such as their Christmas range, and has evolved over time to stay fresh and aligned with the brand.
Final Thoughts
On hold messages are a small piece of your customer experience, but they carry more weight than most businesses realise.
Done well, they reassure callers, reduce hang-ups, and turn a moment of waiting into a moment of marketing.
If your phone line is still playing silence, generic radio, or a message that's years out of date, now's a good time to change that.
Ready to give your callers something worth listening to?
Get a free on hold demo from Onhold Studio and hear the difference a professional script and voice can make. You can also explore our full range of on hold message services or get a quick quote to get started.
About us and this blog
Onhold Studio has been developing custom on hold audio messages for almost two decades! We specialise in audio marketing for both VoIP and conventional telephone systems. Our team can handle every step of the process for you, whether you need music or on hold messaging, call menu options, or out-of-hours audio messages.
