Sobel Co. LLC Marketing Blog

I recently did a presentation at a program designed for professionals in transition. One of the other speakers was offering advice on interviewing skills. At the conclusion of his presentation he said, “Sell yourself based on their needs.”

Like all profound statements, its elegance is in its simplicity, and the concept works for any situation. As you interact with existing customers and with new prospective customers, you, too, can ‘sell to their needs.’ Once you have identified what your customers want and expect from you, you can find a way to provide them with a practical solution.  How can you market to customers without taking the time to find out what their needs are? The answer is, you can’t. So spend time getting even better acquainted with your customer base, and dig below the surface a little to see what needs they have identified – and even perhaps those needs they have not even recognized yet. Then you can market relevant products and services to address their situation!

Today’s Wall Street Journal marketing report for small and mid size companies suggests that your customers have a real thirst for knoweldge. When marketing - don’t tell them how great you are, but instead SHOW them the value of what you do and how it will help them specifically.

The hottest marketing tool today is the “complimentary” service you offer that demonstrates all that you can do - and helps you build a new relationship founded on trust and respect!

Some of your best marketing tactics should include the company’s approach to charitable activities. When you are building a reputation for your business, it is helpful to be recognized as a real leader in the community. You can accomplish this by supporting local events, hosting charitable activities, or just getting invovled with projects in the area that help demonstrate your commitment to making life better for those around you. As you know, it is not always about profits - and while the good will you gain by ‘doing good’ may not show up under “revenue” it will eventually impact your bottom line!

It is so easy to avoid the discomfort of “selling” that many companies forget the importance of keeping their name and brand ever present in the market place. When the economy tightens, the activities that are not direct revenue generators are often the first to be cut. As a busienss owner, you need to make tough decisions to stay profitable, but you also need to have a vision for the future. Investing in your company now and staying focused on delivering world class service today will put you on the right path for tomorrow’s success.

When you are trying to build value in your company, one of the most significant assets you have is your good name.  Don’t let that disappear because you neglect to be actively involved with your targeted audience. If cash flow is an issue, keep the company name alive by perfomring more “viral-type” initiatives. Attend meetings, offer to speak or author an article. You don’t have to launch a multi-dimensional ad campaign to establish your company’s presence and leadership role within a niche market. Instead, invest your time and start building critical relationships that will bring new business and high customer retention goind forward.

I was reading a blog hosted by a friend, Charlie Greene today and I was struck by the simple message ofhis guest blogger.   The author is an entrepreneur, and here is what he wrote:  “I love my computer tech guy. He’s smart, savvy and responsive. Never lets me down. And even though I’ve got a small business, without servers and multiple users or even using his enterprise server, he treats me the same as he does his larger clients.”

What a great, and easy, concept. Do you treat every customer as if they are your best customer? Do they receive the full value of your undivided attention, resources, and time? Maybe not. But think about the customer loyalty formula - and realize that your raving fans (like the guy above) are in a powerful position to refer new customers to you every day. They will want to if they can boast that they get five star treatment from your company. Happy and loyal customers tell others and with each word of mouth recomendation, your brand and your success grows!

I heard someone say there is an article in the Wall Street Journal today cautioning business owners not to pre-judge their customers. It is one of the golden  rules of  marketing:  remember to really listen, and not make assumptions, or have expectations BEFORE you hear what the customer needs.

I talk to a significant number of marketers across the country with great regularity and one of the most difficuly challenges they face is to get business owners to really listen to the customers and then address their concerns, create the goods and services they need, or offer the attention they deserve.  Pre-judging can cloud the siutation and impact your   objectivity.

I recently learned a lesson when I walked over to the receptionist area at my hair salon to pay for my haircut.  Although the receptionist recognized me as a once-a-month customer, she rang up the sale and then said - “Good by.” I felt like I was being dismiised and I got to thinking how much nicer it would’ve been if she had said, “I hope you had a good experience here. May I book another appointment for you?” I was, of course, coming back - but instead of welcoming me, and anticipatingn my needs, she put me in the position of saying, “May I schedule another haircut please?’

Sometimes we all get so busy that we forget that the simplest steps often have the highest impact. This may be an offer to schedule an appointment, a postcard or telephone reminder of a future event, a thank you note after the most mundane  interaction, or even just a brief follow up e-mail.  It doesn’t matter what the activity is, what matters is that you take the initiative to reach out and be interested in your customers and make them understand unequivocably how important they are to you.

You should think about the fact that one of your many competitors is eagerly awaiting your next misstep so that they can prove to your customer how much better off they would be if they made a switch. This can happen regardless of whether  your product or service is a haircut, dry cleaning, accounting services, veterinarian care , or groceries.  The consept rings true across just about any industry.

If you do not make your customers welcome and they do not understand how much you value them, they have plenty of alternatives. It is Marketing 101, a cost-effective and easy approach - tell people they matter and then act like it!

A friend of mine owns an antique store in South Carolina, and she is doing very well. But the business is somewhat seasonal and she has plenty of weeks where there is little, if any, action at all. To help spice it up, she has begun hosting some evening events. The topics are based on the interests of the customers she attracts, so they focus on “How to Spot a Real Antique” or “Where Will You Put thatThing Once You Get it Home?” She gives advice on home decor, antique hunting, and other related subjects, while serving wine and cheese. She is creating quite a draw for these events, and people often hang around afterward to browse - with some making purchases. It is an excellent way for her to leverage after hours  ’down time’  that she is already paying for.  Are you in a similar spot? Can you find a way to draw people in to your business by sharing insights that are relevant for them? Whether you are a manufaturer bringing in educational programs for vendors and customers or a retailer offering  some after-hours fun events, this may be an inexpensive  approach to deevloping new relationships!

Almost every industry has its “seasonality” challenges, when the work flow increases and  so does the stress level.  Often the time available for marketing decreases in direct correlation to the increase in the work load. Retailers are crazed during the holidays as  shoppers flood the stores; contractors are busy in the spring, summer and fall trying to finalize projects before winter sets in; accountants are notarious for the pressures they endure during “tax season” - and the list goes on.  But your customers don’t expect to have their service interrupted or delayed because you are “busy” and your marketing should not be abandoned either.  In fact, your marketing should increase at the height of your busiest time - as that is when the most customers are likely to be touched by the message.  And if your competitors want to abdicate their spot to you because they are “too busy” to market, then you can take full advantage of that by being a consistent presence, committed to a year-long marketing and branding effort, that helps build momentum for your company, no matter what season you are in!  Make every day your day!