While reading a recent article in Forbes Magazine about new digital marketing trends, an interesting thought struck me.
The author was writing about how savvy marketing firms are pumping big money into trendy hi-tech platforms like social media and mobile apps to help improve interaction with customers – and how it’s an absolute must for any company looking to grow bigger. While he’s obviously right about the importance of embracing new technology as a means for better marketing, the article’s author clearly missed a very important point.
There is still one proven – yet underused – marketing method of connecting with customers that even the most popular Facebook or Twitter page can’t replace: the power of a good ol’ fashioned telephone conversation. In this impersonal, technology-driven era, the best way to stand out from the pack can sometimes be to forgo modern marketing techniques and stick with conventional marketing wisdom.
Think about it.
Every company can create colorful QR codes for their customers to snap and download in ten seconds flat. But how many companies will go out of their way to call a client and carry on a meaningful conversation for ten minutes? It’s easy for a sales rep to shoot out automated emails asking for customer feedback. However, is that nearly as impressive as the sales rep who reaches out to a client in person and asks if they received their order and are completely satisfied?
While it’s always important for us, as business owners, to stay on top of the latest modern marketing trends, it is also incumbent upon us to stay grounded by not losing focus on maintaining genuine, personalized relationships with our clientele.
Here are a few Ptex Practical Pointers that can help you achieve those crucial objectives and get the conversation started.
- The ‘Thank You’ Call: Many businesses get a large chunk of new business from client referrals. In fact, numerous studies have found that referred clients – as opposed to those who’ve responded to an ad or found you randomly – are both more loyal and more valuable. So it should be only natural to thank the source of your valuable new customers. Pick up the phone, and make it a personal call. Let your existing clients know that you’re both flattered and grateful for the business they’ve sent your way.
- The ‘Out of the Blue’ Call: Reach out to one existing client every day by picking up the phone and calling them. The point of this conversation is not to generate a new sale – it is only to let them know that you value their business and are appreciative of their loyalty
- The ‘Back to the Future’ Call: Email is great. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it lets us communicate at our convenience. But it’s all too easy to fall into the trap of relying on email as the be-all and end-all of client communications. Email lacks tone of voice and other communication cues, making it ripe for misunderstanding. So when you find an email conversation devolving into a back and forth head scratching game, instead of pressing the reply button, press the numbers on your telephone’s keypad. Chances are you’ll go from ‘huh?’ to ‘aha!’ in a New York minute.
So keep in mind that interacting with your clients doesn’t always involve creating hi-tech campaigns which revolve around algorithms, analytics and other unpronounceable words.
Sometimes, all it requires is a simple telephone call.
Onwards and upwards,
Meny Hoffman
P.S. Do you want to share a story about how you went out of the way to communicate with a client – and why that action caused specific results to occur? Please post in the comments below and I just may share it with the LTB readership community in the near future.
