One month ago today, I was in San Diego, California at the international On-Hold Messaging Association’s 10th Annual Conference.
If you are evaluating an On-Hold messaging company to provide messaging for your business, make sure you ask if they are an OHMA member before you commit to working with them. Members are required to meet higher standards in order to maintain their membership. And that means a higher standard of service for you.
On Hold Messaging must be the member’s primary business function.
Members must have a proven track record of On Hold Messaging excellence.
Members must be a comprehensive, full-service provider.
Members must provide flexible payment options.
Member is held accountable to OHMA standards.
OHMA will provide arbitration in the unlikely event of a dispute.
Did you know that Hold time (the time callers are On-Hold for your company) is just as important as Broadcast time? Hold time is real, and it’s captive. You should be using this Hold time to deliver compelling, relevant content, tailored to who your caller is.
I flew home from the OHMA conference in San Diego, and turned around to drive to Austin, Texas to go to Sunpop Studios, where the team at Sunpop did an incredible job helping deliver our unique message through the medium of video.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGb_JSmbxqY[/youtube]
Sunpop’s method of creating a video is so completely different from anything else out there! The secret is in the pre-production, and the process. You see, the video shoot is completely unscripted. You’re in front of a camera, but rather then having to come up with what you want to say, and try to get all the lines right, you simply have a conversation with Sunpop’s “conversationalist”. This person knows just enough about your or your company to ask questions, but they don’t have the answers. They are asking real questions, and you are giving real responses! The result is a video that really connects with viewers in an authentic, direct way. It’s like pulling back the curtain, and giving visitors a little glimpse of who you really are.
And these guys at Sunpop Studios really make it terrifically fun process!
From Sunpop, it was on to the Wizard Academy, A (very!) Nontraditional Business School. It’s all about discovering the science behind every art. If you ever have a chance to go, you will NOT be disappointed!
I was there for Jon Spoelstra’s class “How to Make Big Things Happen Fast”. An absolutely PACKED two days of mind-bending proportions! Did you know that as President of the (last place in the NBA) New Jersey Nets, Jon Spoelstra took there ticket revenue from $5,000,000 to $17,000,000, sponsorships from $400,000 to $7,000,000, and the team value from $40,000,000 to $120,000,000? This is a guy who knows how to market outrageously! (if you want to know more, check out www.findsuccess.net)
Jon talks about three points to being successful:
1. “New is a way of life”
2. “What’s it gonna take?”
3. “Push the ‘Outrageous’ envelope”
Most people want to protect at least two things, which sends them into paralysis. You see, you have to decide what is Number 1. The thing that everything else will be sacrificed for. Then you can determine what it will take to get to that goal. Everything else is secondary to that Number 1 thing…whatever it is.
Wow…what a whirlwind month!
And now, back in the office, I contemplate for you…what is it that you will do Outrageously? What will you do to surprise people? You have to surprise people constantly with things that are new, surprising and interesting.
Are you ready to launch? Let us help you find YOUR surprise!
“A smart man makes a mistake, learns from it, and never makes that mistake again. But a wise man finds a smart man, and learns from him, how not to make that mistake to begin with!” Roy H. Williams.