Marketing experts say that during busy times, we should plan one marketing task for every day. Sometimes, especially when we’re too busy to sit down and think about it, marketing ideas are just plain hard to come by. Coming up with quick and simple ideas to get our message to clients and prospects can be challenging, so here are a few ideas to call on that can keep a company visible when there’s no time for a full blown marketing campaign:
- Make a list of all upcoming business, and call each contact…one or two per day. These calls don’t have to take more than a few minutes, and they provide an opportunity to remind the contact of their upcoming order anniversary.
- Write a letter, or send a handwritten note, postcard, or “Send Out Card” to special clients. This gives the chance to say thank you for past business, and to give them updates on new products and services. It’s also an opportunity to offer them special “good customer” offers.
- Find an article of interest to your clients and either scan and email it, or fax it, with a personal note.
- Take time to review your company’s printed materials to make sure they are current, relevant, accurate, and that they deliver the message you want your customers and prospects to know.
- Say thank you to current customers, when they give you the sale, when you deliver the order, and about two weeks later in a follow up call. This gives an opportunity to ask for referrals.
- Everyone wants to be a winner. Give customers a chance to win a free lunch, compliments of your business. Partner with a local restaurant. Set a “fish bowl” on the counter and collect business cards from everyone who visits your place of business. If you have a good relationship with the restaurant, ask if they’ll let you put a “fish bowl” at their check out station. This requires very little time on your part, but could bring you lots of hot prospects for the future.
- Keep all business communications focused on the word “You”…meaning the customer. This marketing tip works year round.
- Give a special thank you gift to extra special customers. We use the “Thank You” pens to show how much we appreciate a good client. This is a very cost effective way to make someone happy…and then there’s an extra benefit…I’m particularly happy when I see a customer using the pen at another time.
- Connect people. Many of you will remember that I practice “networking” all the time. Introducing people to each other, even in your store’s showroom, is a powerful way to encourage more business, as well as customer loyalty. If the introduction results in new business for the clients, you could find even more business arriving at your door.
- There’s an old saying, “It’s not who you know, but who knows you.” If you’ve done your pre-marketing marketing, by attending chamber of commerce meetings, if you’re visible in community activities, if you’re always working at “making business friends”…your pre-marketing can help to keep customers coming in when things slow down. When you’re out doing your pre-marketing, get personal. In order for your company’s name to be the first people think of when they need its products and services, you must build personal relationships.
- Spotlight a customer of the month. Put up a “bulletin board” and feature pictures of that customer’s business, their corporate history, special awards and recognition, and hopefully, a testimonial about how much they enjoy doing business with your company.
- Make sure all team members are fully trained in customer service. Give them all the authority it takes to make a customer happy.
- Join a leads club. If you can’t get out to their meetings…start your own leads club in your own space. This not only gets people in your door it lets them see what they can refer you for.
- Volunteer. Yes, this takes time, but it’s time well spent. Not only will you get noticed within the community, you will get a very satisfied feeling of being needed and appreciated, along with knowing you did something helpful.
- Create a place for customers to sit and wait. Hopefully they won’t have to sit and wait for their orders to be finished, but rather to sit and wait in comfort, and maybe get acquainted, as the line of people at the counter are taken care of.
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