Best Practices for a Successful Audio Marketing Program

There’s more to an effective Audio Marketing program than just playing music and messages in your location. Consider these five thoughts.

1. Tailor Your Messaging

What are visitors doing in your environment?

The answer should drive the creation of your content and calls-to-action (CTAs).

If your guests tend to be preoccupied (shopping, evaluating options, etc.), keep your messages short and choose simple, location-specific CTAs, such as, “For more information, please see the concierge.”

Also, work to create value for your visitors, especially since you’re interrupting the music with a message. One idea: offer visitor-exclusive discounts or perks. With many consumers preferring online purchases to in-store shopping, it’s important to offer all the incentives you can to keep visitors coming back to your location.

2. Match Your Voiceover Talent to Your Audio Marketing Goals

Think about your brand. Think about the vibe you’re trying to create. Think about your audience’s needs and expectations.

The voiceover talent’s vocal quality and copy interpretation should complement all of those considerations.

If your brand is refined and luxurious and your physical space is quiet, a serious, sophisticated voiceover might be appropriate. Have a fun, energetic business? The voice should reflect that same energy.

3. Create a Balance Between Music and Messages

How long is a visitor typically in your location? That will determine the length of music intervals between each message.

If guests stay for an average of one hour, you might put 15 minutes between each message to prevent overexposure to your content.

If visitors are in and out quickly, your messages might play every five minutes to ensure more people hear them. But keep your staff in mind. They may not appreciate hearing the same messages many times each day. Keep it fresh for them by using more than one voiceover talent and increasing the total number of messages you play.

Also, consider using an audio logo with your on-site Audio Marketing. If it’s one you use in your broadcast advertising or online marketing, it will reinforce your brand for guests. (Learn more about Audio Logos here and here.)

4. Take Advantage of Zoning

Some Audio Marketing equipment supports zoning – playing specific messages in only certain areas of your physical space.

Zoning creates an opportunity to further tailor the experience you provide for visitors, depending on where they are in your location.

You might play a welcome message at your entrance. You could also cross-sell (promoting chocolate chip cookies in front of the milk coolers) and up-sell (relating the benefits of your higher-end models).

5. Select Music that’s Consistent with Your Brand Tone

A carefully curated playlist turns “background music” into an intentional brand element that can resonate with your visitors and leave them with a lasting impression.

First, consider the average age of your visitors. If it varies, take advantage of dayparting – strategically playing certain music genres and tempos at different times of the day to appeal to the audience currently on-site.

Ask yourself, “What would my brand sound like if defined musically?” Your music should complement your brand and what you do. Sell a wide variety of unusual clothing? Choose an eclectic mix of eccentric music. If you sell French cologne, consider romantic French music.

And how would you like visitors to respond to the music you play? Want them to linger? Play slower music. Want to boost their mood? Choose upbeat music. Want to intrigue them? Excite and challenge them with new styles of music.

One size rarely fits all. We can help you create an Audio Marketing program that’s unique to your brand, your environment and your guests’ needs. While your approach may not appeal to everyone who visits, it will reinforce who you are as a brand and keep your target audience coming back for more.

When you’re ready to deliver positive, on-brand visitor experiences, email Jon Marker or call him at 419.724.7353.