As a marketing director I am frequently asked if I have any good ideas to help a company build its brand and retain and gain more customers. While there are plenty of tactics in the “marketing tool kit” for any industry to choose from, for retailers to distributors to nonprofits to profesional service providers, the core of all good marketing is really in the company’s attitude towards its customers.
I just returned from a vacation with my daughter and we both noticed that the number one key ingredient that made this trip such a success for us was that everyone we met was so nice. No kidding. The welcoming attitude, the pleasant offer to assist us, the frequent expressions of appreciation (rather than entitlement), and the use of a genuine smile when greeting us, all combined to create a terrific experience.
Lesson learned from this? It could just as esily have been a totally different experience if the people we met had been indifferent, unhelpful, or just acted like they were going through the motions to ‘do their job.’ ‘The next time you are looking for the secret to success, consider how you sound when you speak to customers, how often you go out of your way to do the unexpected, and ask yourself how you would measure up on the “nice” scale if someone polled your customers. If you don’t rate an “A” - find new ways to try again!
On October 14, Rothman Institute for Entrepreneurship and the Association for Corporate Growth - New Jersey (ACG-NJ) are co-sponsoring a half-day conference on innovation. Our firm, Sobel & Co. , is a proud sponsor of this event.
In thinking about why innovation is important, some words come to mind from the Rothman Institute’s publication, “Insights from Global Leaders.” In his chapter, Fred Hassan, former chairman and CEO of Schering-Plough, says, “a truly customer-focused organization will drive innovation because that is how thet satisfy the unmet needs of customers.”
So it is not just about matching up your existing products and services to the buying trends of your target market. Rather, it is about identifying what you are NOT offering, the services and products that will add value and don’t exist yet, and then finding ways to provide these in order to address the demands of your customers. Those companies that anticipate a future need as well as responding to current demand will be the innovators and the leaders in their business community.
Are you using new out-of-the-box ideas to satisfy customers?
When I was reading the results of a recent survey of nonprofit organziations, the highlights indicated that more than three- fourths of the respondants were concerned about: 1) finding and retaining good people; 2) raising revenue; and 3) future growth.
It struck me that these are the same top worries that the for-profit companies, family owned businesses like yours, face as well. These concerns are certainly not restricted to the nonprofit world.
Marketing communications and a solid focus on customer service help to address these three issues because by executing a strong marketing strategy you are able to attract and hold the attention of future employees, existing customers and potential customers. The more you stick to your core values, bulding a communications strategy around what you do best for your target audience, the more likely you will be to enjoy future growth.
Strategic marketing is at the core of any growth plan, but you need to recognize your strengths as a company and find ways to promote those attributes.
If you would like to talk about your marketing strategy - give me at call at 973-994-9494!
I would like to tell you all that there is a silver bullet you can buy that will give you a competitive edge in your market; a magic spell you can cast over customers to keep them loyal.
Unfortunately it doesn’t work that way, but the solution is almost as simple. In a conversation today with Judy Lutzy, financial planner extraordinaire, I was listening to her comment on how exciting it is to have so many loyal clients - and all the amazing referrals they continue to generate for her every single day. I asked her how, in a time of such a slow economy, with others complaining of the lack of business, she is thriving. I wondered what she is doing differently.
Her answer was as easy as you might expect froma true professional: “I build meaningful relationships.” No matter what industry you are in, a sincere and genuine concern for your customers sends a strong message. In Judy’s case, clients want to work with her- and as a result of a very positive experience, they tell others as quickly as they can.
Judy’s approach is not ‘to “sell” anything, but rather to give suggestions and share skilled advice on how they can achieve their dreams. She is fair, honest and insightful. She tells clients what she believes will work, and what won’t work. And they appreciate her sincere concern - and recommend her often.
What have you done to build these kinds of powerful relationships?
It is tempting to resort to comfortable cliques when describing your company. However, those businesses that can select words to distinguish their products will gain the attention of their audience more effectively.
For example, I was having lunch at a restaurant today and I asked for hot tea. The waiter brought over a selection of teas produced by a company called Numi - A Moroccan Herbal Tea product. I turned over the paper wrapper and the directions for “The Perfect Cup” read as follows:
“While humming, bring fresh water to a boil and pour over a bag of Simply Mint. Steep 4-6 minutes to desired strength. Let the soothing taste warm and delight you.” What a great message - it says something about the culture at Numi and their values. It also made me want to try their other organic teas .
Do you send a message that makes customers ”hum” when they think of you? Consider how to get their attention the next time you give directions about product use!
Business owners who appeared on a panel at a conference for accounting marketers told the audience that the main reason they changed accountants was because of the way they were treated. Most everyone “assumed” that users of accounting services make a switch in response to high fees, but the reality is that they wanted to be well treated. Someone even commented, “I want to be as well treated when I am a client as I was when I was a prospect.”
What a great idea - treat your customers as if you value them, and they will value you! Now the hard part: how can you convert this idea into a formal, measureable process? What can you do at your company that demonstrates how much your customers mean to you - with every interaction?
I suggest you conduct a “marketing audit.” Put on the customer’s ‘hat’ and interact with your own organization exactly as they do. How are you treated? What could you be doing differently at every point of contact to improve their experience? Think about it and let me know what ideas you come up with!
I read a great blog today by Sherri Winters, consultant in the New Jersey area, who reminds business owners that if their entire team iss not trained to focus on customer service and building customer sales, they are missing terrific opportunities for success.
The basic concept is that everyone in the company must understand that they play a key role in delivering customer service - regardless of their job description. Too often business owners train only their sales and marketing professionals, neglecting others in the company who can also benefit from similar exposure - since everyone has some customer contact, even if they are not on the front lines!
Build your customer service culture by including everyone in the organization and making sure they have the proper training to satisfy your customers and turn them into your raving fans.
Sometimes you make a mistake. How you fix it will say a lot about the company - and if done well, may go a long way to creating raving fans. Here is what happened to me recently:
I bought my granddaughter a party dress at a national children’s store with a location in the Chicago area. Since they didn’t have her size, they agreed to have it sent to her house from one of their nearby stores. We said we needed it by July 28. When it didn’t arrive quickly, we called the store and they assured us it was on the way. Several days later we got a call from the store to let us know that the dress had actually been included along with other items sent to a different customer! That customer had called the store and asked what she should do because there was a party dress she didn’t order included with her purchase! This glaring mistake could’ve been a disaster. Instead, the store immediately sent an empty overnight FEDEX envelope to her - and scheduled a pick-up for the following day. All she had to do was put the dress into the pouch and place it on her front porch. FEDEX picked it up and it arrived over night - on time - for my granddaughter to wear to her party.
While I was all ready to be furious over the mistake, the bottom line was the store personnel did everything they could to fix the problem, including calling FEDEX to pick up the package and get it to the right place. They called us constantly and kept us alerted to their progress, which took much of the stress out of the situation.
Think about how you handle upset customers, and consider how you can manage their anger - and turn it to your advantage as upset customers evolve into satisfied and loyal supporters!
In a book I read recently about families in business (Love, Power and Money) there was a great checklist of ideas that can be adapted to your own comapny’s marketing strategy:
1. Set clear goals to be the leader in your market
2. Stay close to your customers
3.Clearly understand your competitive advantage
4. Know your own core competencies and rely on these strengths
5. Run your company “lean” and retain key employees for the long term
There were many other suggestions for how to operate an efficient, sustainable and profitable company, but these points made the most sense regarding your marekting approach. When you establish goals and then remain focused on achieving them, you will have a much greater chance for success! How’s your marketing going this summer?
In a conversation today with NJBIZ’s Beth Fitzgerald and Sharon Waters, they mentioned that if you have a good story to tell, information about an emerging trend, or data/details about business in New Jersey, they would love to hear from you. Considering how much it costs to gain good PR, this is an effective way to really build your brand and gain exposure. The more relevant your information, the more interesting it is for the journalists and their readers. Think about what you know - and consider pitching it to the local business press, your industry trade publications or the daily newspapers.
You may be able to get some time in the spotlight while positioning your company as the “experts” and as leaders in the business community!