Customer Relationship Management is an important part of marketing in any business and here Peter Hanley looks at several key touch points.
Ignore your customers at your peril
Have you looked at the big stores and thought they do a lot of promotions but I can’t afford that?
I suppose you may have even though they waste a lot of money and it makes no difference to you?
Let me tell you they do it because it works. There is a choice in all areas so why do we stay loyal and mostly to one store? That is why customer relationship management is so important.
- Loyalty rewards cards
- Letterbox drop
- Billboards
- Websites
Consider why you go to one store and not another and what has affected you and then think about what can you do better.
Further discussion on emails here.
My Loyalty is divided
Certainly, loyalty cards and programs have a major contributing factor to the shopping experience. However, value or novelty still pulls you away to the other side.
Coles and Woolworths compete in our town for the shopping dollar. Coles have Flybys and Woolies their own card which is pretty ordinary. There are a few other outlets but these are the main two.
A friend of mine loves Coles because of Flybys and the only shops there. Until Woolies introduced a must-have novelty pack that was all the rage. Woolworths sales went up for that time but most went back.
I drive a little further to get Coffee because of one free after nine coffees. The thought is just to buy a couple more and I get a free one as I drive by three other outlets.
Recently I was in a hurry and stopped at one closer to home, the customer experience was really good as they joked and laughed with me. What happened? I still need to buy more coffee to get a free one as my loyalty changed to customer service.
Service and satisfaction will win out every time
That is called good customer relations but it still needs to be underpinned with other contact elements.
Therefore, what are the things you can do to support the customer?
- A bi-weekly or monthly newsletter by email is Cheap and easy to do.
- In-store programs to encourage joining.
- win a hamper, evening tutorial, survey
- Birthday wishes by email
- SMS reminders
- Facebook marketing
- All social media channels
Know your customers
A golden rule is to know and understand your customers. Your market to buyers, not to lookers, and this is done by market analysis. Understand every customer and put them in lists within lists so you can target them on a regular basis
Channel marketing rules
Marketing can be done cheaply but it is expensive time-wise so you should concentrate on one channel until it is working.
When your target is varied and mature email is great.
Facebook demographic has moved out past millenniums so the over 35 s are still there.
The younger 20-35 have generally moved to Instagram as a media of choice.
For younger groups target the parents.
Consistency is the main rule of marketing, especially on Social Media
It can never be too often but it can be done blandly and without interest.
I understand there is also mainstream advertising like Radio, TV, and Press but leave that to the big spenders.
If you want to spend money think of FaceBook and retargeting as the place to be.
You are lucky in the days of Social Media
It is very easy to brand with Instagram and Facebook and follow the followers.
It requires a daily posting of unique content that has readership interest.
In Summary
Keep in contact with your customers regularly.
Email, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram.
Provide a great customer experience with service.
Loyalty programs work
Use branded giveaways or other gifts.
There is a lot more to learn at;
Customer relationship management by Peter Hanley
Peter Hanley