If you’ve been getting dizzy spinning around marketing strategies, cut back to the basics and do something you might not have done in the past – track your campaign (no matter how big or small it is).
Idea Number One: Write a hand card.
That’s right – you heard me. Write a card and snail mail it. With so much technology making it easy to say thanks via email, catch up on someone’s Facebook Wall or meet for coffee through a text message, receiving something hand written in the mail is a great surprise.
There are a variety of ways to get your hands on cards –hand make them, design them specifically for your business or utilize a service like Send Out Cards.
Consider your motive for sending the card. Are you building rapport, trying to secure a face to face meeting, or giving thanks for meeting?
Here’s some wording suggestions, listed by circumstance:
Building Rapport:
I just saw this great [article, blog post, recipe, website] that I thought would help you [insert information here]
I wanted to personally thank you for [insert: recommendation, introduction, advising, etc]
Trying to Secure a Face to Face Meeting:
I have heard [insert something complimentary and specific here] about you.
I would love an opportunity to learn more about [insert something specific here] from you. Perhaps I could buy you a coffee [insert specific time here] and we could chat.
After a meeting:
Thank you for meeting with me. If there is anything I can help you with please let me know
Here is that information we were discussing. I hope it comes in handy for you.
Personalize hand cards as much as possible and ensure you send your message in a timely manner. A good rule of thumb is within 48 hours.
Tracking Your Success:
Consider the cost and number of people you will be sending cards to. You can create an estimate based on the number of meetings, phone calls and networking events you attend in a month. Any one of the 3 options I described before for sending cards should cost just under $2 cad, including postage.
Base the success of your efforts in two categories: quality of relationship developed and number of sales derived.
Add a column to your existing database contact list for card giving. When you send a card, enter the date, the date of any response (or lack thereof) and if a result is generated from this action.
Check back later this week for another trackable marketing idea.
photo credit: //amy//
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and researching on how to improve client relationships. And what I’ve noticed is a decline in big business-kindness (what happened to greeting someone within 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 30 seconds – greeting someone at all) and a significant shift in small business kindness (like baking biscotti and hand delivering it to over 50 clients for Christmas – a la Accentuate Home Design Group)
Yesterday, while spending some social time with one of my client’s, at the movies, she asked, “What kind of gestures can I make to acknowledge and appreciate my clients, without breaking the bank?”
Here was my response (I knew it would be easier in writing so I emailed her this list):
- Take cues from your personal life. Picking up the phone or sending a snail mail card can do a world of good in developing your client relationships.
- Show your friendly side
-walk with your client to their car because they forget their umbrella
-offer to find out information or pass a referral on – and then don’t forget to do it
- Share a heartfelt testimonial about your client using your Facebook and/or Twitter status.
- Remind them about important tasks or dates:
-wedding anniversary
-dentist appointment
-insurance renewals
- Give a small token of appreciation:
-free gift with purchase
-work with your suppliers to give a special discount or gift card for their services
- Surprise your favourite clients with something unexpected and from the heart:
-movie tickets for a specific movie that they wanted to see
-a DVD or book specifically chosen for them
-pay for their babysitting so they can enjoy an evening out with their spouse hand deliver their favourite food and enclose a hand written note
The moral of the story is we can create an EXPERIENCE for our clients. It can be as simple as genuinely listening to their needs and feedback and genuinely acknowledging them as great customers.
photo credit: brykmantra
Do you feel like you could be busier in your business? But you don’t want to invest in pricy marketing strategies like you may have done in previous years?
Staying in touch can sometimes be the most difficult and yet most rewarding marketing strategy there is. (I’m often shocked by how many people read my newsletter that I haven’t spoken to for over a year! Subscribe by emailing me here).
Get back in touch with networking alliances, old clients and potential clients with these cost effective (aka virtually free) strategies.
- Okay, I confess! I still have 2 boxes of business cards that I said I would organize of people I have met at networking or social functions. And I haven’t. But now I have motivation. Inside of these boxes are opportunities to reconnect with people that I forgot to send post-meeting emails to or didn’t add to my email database. Go through your business card collection and make contact. (Note to self: must remember to write an article this week on some phone, email and card scripts that have worked for me.)
- Utilize Facebook. If you’re like me, you probably feel like shutting down your account from time to time because you know you don’t keep up with all of the people you’ve added as a friend. Change that feeling by checking out their websites and blogs and try emailing them a personal note.
- Create a “from the heart” campaign that acknowledges your current and potential clients. Not because you can sell to them here, but because you truly honour their [insert great characteristic trait]. They’ll likely remember this friendly gesture longer than they’ll remember what promotion you were advertising this month.
- Be proactive on Twitter and any other forums you hang out on (or join one). It’s one thing to go on and promote yourself, it’s another to really engage with others there. Listen and find out about their businesses with a genuine interest. Ask if they need anything in terms of assistance – some raw ideas for a blog post, post helpful comments that evoke more responses. These things tend to help everyone involved.
- Get local and volunteer. You’ll meet new people and help out with a great cause (its cliché, but it is relevant and true).
With all of these ideas, if there’s potential business opportunities you will be in a great position to be asked for help as you will have built up a rapport and trust without directly needing to sell.
photo credit: Idhren
It’s finally hitting us all. There are fewer jobs and less dollars circulating through the economy. But it’s not all doom and gloom. People are still spending. Businesses are still in business but have started looking for most saving-friendly ways of getting their message out there.
Why not try getting back to basics and nurturing existing client relationships?
Think of your customers the way you think of your significant other. It’s the little things that count. Work on personalizing your relationships by addressing people by name. If you don’t know their name – ask for it. Or implement a customer profile software system. Collect their information.
Start a GOOD loyalty program that gives value. If you’re a small business you can outshine the big corporations by giving more. Instead of points – give real dollars back. Make your program easy –without a lot of strings attached. (This is a whole other topic that we’ll blog about soon.)
Start a referral program. Either entice your loyal customers with a reward or simply acknowledge their referral/testimonial - a personal phone call or thank you card will likely go a long way.
Be spontaneous! A chocolate cafe that I hold client meetings at (called Mink) will sometimes bring over a scrumptious bite of chocolate to accompany our mochas. It’s unexpected, it’s memorable and I continue to choose their coffee shop over any of the big guys. (And look, here I am plugging them!) Look for ways to elicit this response in your own business.
Be kind. Volunteer and participate in your community. It will be both personally and professionally rewarding. You’ll meet new people, strengthen existing relationships all while helping out. And hey, you can advertise what you’re doing to lend a hand.
Go above and beyond (cliché, but true!). Show your customers that you truly care about them and your business by over-delivering and wowing them!
And the cost for doing all of these programs? Likely less than the cost of losing just one of your loyal customers.
photo credit: Zunami
If there’s one thing online marketers have been doing right for some time – its building their email database.
But how do you do it like a pro when you’re a small business? Good question!
Here’s some steps to get your walking in the right direction:
1. Find your reason for database building: email newsletter campaign, free promotion coupon, ebook, online article. Whatever your reason (or multiple reasons) make sure you’ve mapped out a plan.
2. Subscribe to, or create a customized, automatic response system that will allow you to easily collect email addresses from your blog and website. The headache of manually entering emails may end up driving you nuts and take you away from other aspects of your business.
3. Your landing pages and every page on your blog/website should have an opt in option. (note to self, must set mine up)
4. Integrate your in person networking and marketing by adding business card information into your subscription pool. Keep in touch often (with ease!).
5. Stay consistent with your offerings. For example, if you send out a promotion with your monthly newsletter – ensure you consistently offer something of value which will keep your database subscribed and happy.
*Your web programmer should be able to do all of these steps for you – if not, connect with the marketing girl and we’ll sort you out.
There is a lot of stuff you can buy or download for free online. I know, I spent a lot of my time investigating new ideas for clients and for myself. But I have found that focusing on these areas (because you can’t do it all at once) has proven successful.
(caution – this is for online newbies – if you’re already well on your way to being online – check out the online marketing blog for lots more in-depth information)
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Get tweeting with Twitter. Follow people online, start discussions, promote products and services and link back to your blog and website.
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Write articles. Submitting articles and press releases will increase links back to you – which search engines l-o-v-e. We have been having success using Article PR’s directory for submission sites.
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Build your links on search engines like ZipLocal and submit your business details there. If you advertise on ZipLocal, you’ll also be able to take advantage of their features – links to Facebook, user written reviews, voting and much more.
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Install landing pages. You’ll likely receive more lead conversions– not just page clicks. Make sure your landing page gets people signed up for your newsletter. Copyblogger has a great post explaining landing pages and giving some examples.
Choose to invest ¼ of the dollars you spent on traditional advertising last year on online techniques and focus time (or hire someone) on nurturing your online efforts. You’ll see changes because you’ll be able to track them using programs like Google Analytics.
Relationship Building Begins with a Blog Comment
by chenrickson on December 9, 2008
in fresh marketing, relationship marketing
I am often asked to clarify what “exactly” it is that I do for a living. Unfortunately, it would take a long sit down to explain (as my current clients would attest). However, I can share one of the many things that I did today. Today I taught a blogging client the importance of commenting and developing relationships with other complimentary interest bloggers.
When it comes to commenting - its important to have something to say - and be sincere in your comment. Avoid negative “ranting.” And by all means, link back to things you’ve written about -but only if they’re appropriate. The more you comment on other blogs - the more likely you will be remembered and the more readers will follow your links to your blog. Extra bonus - you may get asked to guest write. (You never know!)
So, if you are reading my blog entitled “If You Build It He/She Will Come” you will notice 2 comments that have no relevance to the post – but I like to show people how to do something by actually doing it.
(Don’t think that this is all I do in an hour session. We worked on some sales tips to warm up a “gatekeeper,” analyzed website traffic and decided on what to focus on in the New Year. All in a day’s work for the marketing girl…)
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