Get On the Same Page!
Coordinate Your Marketing Message.
These Simple Steps Can Ensure There Aren’t Any Weak Links In Your Marketing Efforts.
Start by getting everyone on the same page.
The first part of any marketing initiative, is to make sure that everyone is on the same page. Omni-channel marketing is a perfect example of ensuring that everyone – on every channel – is on the same page and delivering the same message to your customers.
Adopting an omni-channel marketing strategy for your business goes deeper than a four day sale, though. For an omni-channel marketing strategy to work, there must be a deep understanding of the customer – their needs, preferences and buying habits. While your entire staff may not have extensive knowledge of your customers’ detailed needs and preferences, they should be delivering a consistent unified message to them that caters to their needs and preferences. Ultimately, your staff should know who your target customer is and deliver your business’s relevant, unified message to them.
Don’t always assume that your staff knows what you’re thinking and what the company’s message is. Engage them frequently – either by weekly updates or larger monthly “town hall” style meetings – and allow them to be heard. Some of the best ideas for your business may not come from your company’s leadership. Once they’re on the same page, empower them with the right tools to deliver your unified message to your customers.
Looking for more ways to get your staff on the same page? Consider this list to ensure everyone in your organization is spreading the same message.
- Provide your sales or floor staff with a copy of your advertisements
- Create a short script for your receptionist or those answering the phone, “…are you calling about our Never Before, Never Again Event?”
- Update your on-hold message to include your promotional event
- Place coordinated signage in the main entry point of the business so it’s highly visible
- Make sure your website reflects the promotional event in an obvious way (81% of your customers will visit your site first)
Adopt a customer-centric marketing plan.
Overlooking the “little things” in your business is like not paying attention to detail – and your customers will notice. It’s important that your customer experience is considered first and foremost in your marketing efforts. By being customer-centric in your marketing, you’re not only thinking about the products that your customers want from you, but how they want to shop – whether they research online and then come into your store or doing all their researching and shopping online – the buying experience should be the same: straightforward, ample information to make a buying decision, ensuring it’s easy to contact your business with questions and following up after the purchase to build product loyalty.
Create simple, consistent processes for customer purchasing.
In general, the simpler that you can make a process that a customer has to do before they can make a purchase, the more likely that the customer will complete the process and make the sale. This is especially true of purchases made online. 23% of online shopping cart abandonments are because of complicated processes and checking out taking too long. Bottom line: Create (and maintain) simple, quick processes that move the customer toward a hassle-free checkout experience.
Don’t stop the customer service after the sale.
It’s important to note that customer retention and acquisition are two entirely different activities; while they both involve engaging your customers and potential customers, one is infinitely more challenging than the other. Acquiring a new customer is five times more expensive than retaining an existing customer. It makes sense, then, that focusing on retaining your existing customers is more cost effective, and in a great measure, easier than acquiring a new customer.
