Add offline communication with your customers – and reap the rewards
It’s time to take challenge your marketing status quo. Surprise your customers.
At any stage of the buyer journey, adding something new could make a difference. Try it. And don’t forget to measure the results. When you find something that works do more of it!
1. Getting noticed
Driving interested buyers to your website or office
Direct Mail – great for retail businesses and providers of personal services. Particularly if you serve a limited geographic area. Post a letter, gift voucher, special offer postcard, mini catalogue.
Events – Trade shows, conferences, speaking engagements. Make sure you’re in front of the right crowd. No point going to a construction trade show if you’re a wedding planner. Give attendees something to take home. Ideally a useful product such as a checklist, information booklet, cheat sheet. Offer something that helps – whether or not they buy from you.
Networking – take business cards that explain clearly what problems you solve.
Partnerships – see step 6 Referrals.
Point of sale – if you have a shop or office, use it. Think signage, pull up banners, product or service menus, information postcards and booklets.
Create simple ways to collect the contact information you’ll need for the next 5 steps. Email address, phone number and postal address will give you maximum flexibility in communication.
2. Maintaining interest
Engaging and nurturing the right prospects
Direct mail – postcards, brochures, information booklets and catalogues.
3. Ready to Buy?
Creating action in sales conversations
For lower value products or non-local customers, use a combination of phone and mailed information. For higher value and local buyers, meeting face to face and presenting information on the spot is ideal.
Think checklists, infographics, brochures, proposal documents order forms, appointment cards.
Having something tangible encourages commitment and can accelerate decision making.
4. Welcome
Reinforcing buying decisions
Show your appreciation from the get go. The first sale is your best opportunity to make an indelible impression. Think thank you cards, instruction sheets, user manuals, welcome packs, branded gifts.
Of course the experience with your product or service will be top notch. That’s Marketing 101.
5. Giving a reason to buy again
Retaining customers
It’s easy to take existing customers for granted. But why would you? If you sell products that work, the easiest person to market to is the one who’s already convinced. Encourage the next purchase with gift vouchers, special offers and catalogues showcasing other products. You can deliver these by email or snail mail. Or as a product insert if you sell a physical product.
6. Helping them to talk about you
Encouraging referrals and building partnerships
Recommendations are gold. Make it easy for people to tell their friends about your business when they love what you do.
Think gift vouchers, special offer postcards, newsletters.
Then take this to the next level. Spread the word by partnering with businesses who serve the same customers as you. Give their customers a bonus and make them look good.
As you guide your customers through these steps, remember that every piece of communication should have a Call to Action.
- Go to this link on our website.
- Call us now.
- Bring this voucher to our store for new customer bonus.
- Use this offer code for (something free) on your next order.
- Join our Facebook community for exclusive member offers.
