Message & Media : Make the Connection
15 ways to ensure you're at the front of your customers' minds
May 2009 By Pat Friesen
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• Ask how you can help. There has never been a better time to engage customers in a discussion about how you can help meet their changing needs. It may have to do with products, service or something else. Let customers know you value their opinions and want to fulfill their needs. Use online surveys, package inserts, phone interviews and social media to elicit response.
• Say oops without getting egg on your face. Mistakes happen, but don’t wait to say you’re sorry. I recently ordered a pair of shoes online. When I didn’t receive my order and didn’t hear anything from the e-tailer, I called to learn it was out of my size. The e-tailer had forgotten to tell me. The last e-mail communication I received was an order cancellation. That was my first order with this e-commerce site, and it will be my last. It was a missed opportunity to say, “We’re sorry.”
• Alert customers to added value of quirky product applications. Get ideas from customer reviews and your own product innovations. Sharing real-life tips in your e-newsletter or package inserts extends product value and positions you as an innovator.
• Reassure first-time triers. First-time buyers aren’t customers at all. They are triers. And their first experience with your company is critical. What is the message you’re sending to your first-time triers? If you are fortunate enough to attract new customers in today’s shopping slowdown, don’t take them for granted.
• Update and inform to make customers feel like they are part of the family. Send e-newsletters with useful content and buying opportunities. Link it to your content-rich Web site that positions you as an expert and leading resource. Your Web site doesn’t have to be flashy to be effective. It primarily needs to provide relevant content that’s easy to navigate.
• Announce what’s new to reinforce that your company is alive, well and moving forward. Announce new products, new services for customers, new hires, new eco-friendly practices, new involvement in your community. Use online and offline media to get the word out.
• Position pricing to add value. I learned this tip from direct marketing legend/strategist/copywriter Bob Stone. Here’s Bob’s textbook example. Which generates more response—(1) Half Price, (2) Buy One-Get One Free, or (3) 50 Percent Off? It’s the same offer stated three different ways, but No. 2 is more powerful. More people respond to it. Why? The word free adds value and grabs more attention.
• Segment for relevance. Target with timely messages. Link your messages to individual buying behaviors (and needs) to make stronger connections. For example, if a customer just bought seeds from you, she is planting a garden. What else does she need right now that you sell? A car owner who just bought new tires is probably planning to keep and maintain his vehicle. While he won’t need another set of tires in the near future, what do you sell that he does need to keep his car running longer and more efficiently? Become his personal advocate for helping him get more miles from his investment.
Even in the toughest of times, you can’t afford to disappear. It’s all about remaining on your customer’s radar by staying in touch.
Pat Friesen is a direct response copywriter and creative strategist writing copy for online and offline media. She can be reached at (913) 341-1211, pat@patfriesen.com, and by visiting www.patfriesen.com.
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