Customized Marketing Solutions: How To Increase Sales In 2010
Last night I was asked to be part of a guest expert panel for my local GKIC Philly Group and share my #1 marketing strategy any business owner can use to boost sales in 2010.
So my big nugget was all about building and maintaining your customers data base, or your ” list” as it’s often called.
You see, I’ve learned the hard way that if you don’t capture your customers information, ( Their name and email at a minimum) you’ll lose money!
In fact, I’m going to share a real life example with you that just happened to me this week and you’ll see how an unsuspecting small business owner lost a good chunk of change.
I live in the Northeast, just west of Philly and as you might imagine it get’s a little chilly up here in December.
So the other day I go to kick on the heat and instead get a nasty burnt plastic smell and absolutely NO heat.
Now a couple of years ago my neighbor recommended an HVAC guy when I needed my air conditioning unit serviced. This company was a two guy operation and they were great! They treated my wife and I like royalty, and took care of our problem quickly and for a good price.
So I’m having problems with my heater and I start to look for the guy’s business card and of course I can’t find it.
So what do I do? Yep, you guessed it, I hop on laptop and start searching for another HVAC repair company in my town.
Here’s the kicker, the problem is going to cost me over $1,0000 and I’m probably going to need a new heater which will cost anywhere from $7500-$10K.
Now, had this first company captured my name and email sending me helpful tips on keeping my house warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer or tricks on keeping my utility bills low I would have remembered him and called him right away. ( You never know when a customer wants you to sell them something, right?)
So now this company ( in tough economic times) is out at least $7500 all because they failed to collect my information and continue to follow up with me.
Now before you get all charged up and fire out your first email there are a few things you’ll want to remember when marketing to your list on an ongoing basis.
First, don’t just send emails when you have something to sell. It’s like a long lost relative and one day they show up on your front step asking to borrow money. You must give before you can receive.
Second, make sure you’re sending relevant and helpful information. Don’t send your customers a bunch of fluff! Give them something they can sink their teeth into, got it? Good.
And finally, this is important so pay attention, you MUST email your list on a regular basis. How much is too much? I don’t know, you need to know your business. I will say though if you are giving good content you can email your folks as much as you want.
I hope you see how powerful “showing your customers some love” can really be and how much money it’s costing you by NOT following up with your raving fans.
Now get busy, Bill Parlaman
P.S. Not sure how to capture leads on your website or how set up an auto responder? Do you hate to write and break out into a cold sweat just thinking about writing to your list? Well why don’t you relax and let me do it for you?
I’ll install your opt-in form on your website and write 8 of your first emails for you. Doesn’t get much easier than that now does it?
Send an email to info@radicalmarketingsolutions and I’ll fill you in on the details.
