Last
updated June 22, 2006
The
Stages of Creating a Loyal Customer
A thoughtful and measured marketing and
sales process can create customers that build your business.
The
key is to help your customers develop from a prospective
customer into a loyal customer.
Prospects:
Now is the Opportunity to Create Genuine Interest
The
first step in building a loyal customer is to assist prospective
customers in finding information about the products or
services your business provides.
Some
great ways to encourage prospects to learn more about your
company include:
Positive
word of mouth campaigns that are driven person-to-person,
via the Internet (blogs and Website) and through the
media (via articles and news stories).
Interactive
promotions or surveys for prospective and current customers.
Clear,
concise and consistent messages that are disseminated
in all marketing strategies.
Interactive
marketing efforts, such as your Website, retailer site
promotions and other cross-promotion activities.
First-Time
Customers: The Goal is to Pass the Test; From One-Time
Purchase to Long term Customer
Research
on customer loyalty confirms the importance of a company’s
reliability and the responsiveness to such of first-time
customers. Companies must follow through with the first
(test) sale thoroughly.
A few
quick ways to improve the sales experience:
Monitor
sales via customer service and sales management programs.
It is necessary to collect and utilize the sales and
marketing information from all sales.
Remember
customers and what they like and dislike. Provide sales
representatives with the necessary tools to collect information,
which can then be used to develop relationships or information
about each customer. Add effective customer relations
marketing and management activities that make the connection
with the “testers,” or first-time clients.
Get
fresh new ideas from all employees—from the direct
sales force to the shipping department. Always work to
improve contact with customers, especially through those
on the “front lines.”
Customers:
Expanded Selling Techniques are Crucial
Now
is the time for the use of a variety of sales techniques,
including cross-selling. It is important to create a positive
and productive selling experience.
The
following are a few ideas to encourage cross-selling and
expanded sales:
Reward
customers during the purchasing process. For example,
offer a gift with purchase or special item for purchases
over a certain amount.
Educate
customers about new or perhaps lesser-known features
or items.
Encourage
more profitable multiple sales through education.
Reward
buyers who submit feedback throughout the sales process.
Provide opportunities for customers to give feedback
with your company.
Loyal
Customers or Advocates: Ensure That Customers are Skillfully
Heard
Loyal
customers or advocates have a relationship with your sales
or marketing representatives, and are considered consistent
and committed to your product or service.
How
can a company’s interactive action help with this
goal?
Active
listening and personal interaction deepens customer loyalty.
So companies need to build an environment that consistently
listens to customers and promotes personal communication
with and between customers and company representatives.
Establish
online communities or blogs that promote and encourage
positive, helpful communications.
Use
online surveys to encourage dialogue and gather feedback.
Advocate
and provide a platform for customers to interact and
communicate on an industry-wide level.
Encourage
customer input on new products and ads that can assist
in better products or service and more effective use
of marketing resources.
Study
your customers in each of the customer loyalty stages.
What tools and techniques can help you convert a prospect
into a loyal customer?
Spokespeople
Basics
Celebrity Representation
A spokesperson
(spokesman or spokeswoman), or "spokesmodel" is
a person who speaks on behalf of a company or organization
for a fee, often a hefty one. For example, many popular
movie stars and retired sports stars often become spokespeople
(Catherine Zeta-Jones for T-Mobile, Michael Jordan for
Hanes, among many others).
Employing
a sports or entertainment celebrity to deliver key messages
about your product or service via personal appearances,
print, radio and television campaigns or media interviews
can help attract attention to your product or service.
The publicity associated with the known reputation of the
celebrity will ensure a certain amount of buzz; the instant
name recognition of the right celebrity will draw public
attention for your product, services or organization.
Utilizing
famous spokespeople is somewhat like testimonial advertising,
because a spokesperson recommends others to use the product
or service. For years companies tended to rely on established
stars, such as Andy Griffith selling Ritz crackers, or
James Earl Jones in ads for the Yellow Pages, to push products.
As competition
in the marketplace intensifies and pressure mounts on companies
to build profits, an increasing number of companies are
employing famous actors, politicians and sports stars to
attract consumer interest.
Using
a celebrity spokesperson can be a lucrative relationship
for the celebrity and company alike, assuming the quality
of the product is good and a celebrity's value is high.
Choosing the right celebrity—one that aligns with
your company’s identity—is key in a successful
celebrity campaign.
Unfortunately,
a major danger of using a celebrity spokesperson is the
unknown behavior of some celebrities. Negative media coverage
of perceived "bad behavior or misconduct" of
a celebrity can be catastrophic to a very expensive ad
campaign. Companies need to closely consider the potential
sales growth opportunity versus the risk of the product’s
identity (due to association with a negative media scandal),
before launching an expensive spokesperson advertising
campaign.
Animated,
cartoon celebrities can be great as "spokespeople," because
their image and behavior can be more easily managed (via
a reputable animation creator). One such successful program
is Swiss Valley Farms’ new promotional and advertising
campaign starring Garfield the cat (featured in comic strips
and feature films). Swiss Valley Farms targets a wide demographic—both
children and adults—which is something Garfield is
able to attract.
If a
celebrity spokesperson is right for your brand, do your
research and get out your checkbook! The return on investment
can be worth both your time and your money.
Headlines
that Work
Advertising
can be an expensive proposition to make each advertisement
as effective as possible. What’s the initial indicator
of an effective ad? It’s how well the headline gets
the reader’s attention.
For
many, the headline is considered the most crucial part
of an ad. Whether a newspaper, magazine or even an internet
advertisement, a successful headline pulls the reader in
to get an advertisement read.
The
headline goes at the top of the ad and must grab the reader’s
attention within seconds to be effective. Remember that
headlines don't sell products or services, they capture
attention. Headlines are usually short and to the point
so every word counts when creating a successful headline.
For example, don't put your company name in the headline
- use words that stand out, ask key questions or highlight
benefits for the customer.
In this
world of information overload, people skim when reading
so headlines must convince readers to take a moment to
read further into the ad.
Creative
and experienced copy writers have a special flare with
wording that entice attention. So get creative when writing
headlines and utilize wording that stands out. Having trouble
getting the wording right? It is an advertising agency’s
expertise to write ads that leap off the page, so don’t
hesitate working with an agency or experienced writer to
create the perfect stand-out headline.
Superhero
Status
In most
news stories there are usually three roles to each story;
a victim, a villain and a hero. When your business is part
of a news story what role would you prefer your company
to express?
The
following are a few quick media relations and planning
tips to help your company win "superhero" status
when the media is calling for your comments.
Be
Prepared
Assign a company spokesperson, have a public relations plan and media protocol.
Be sure that key company officials and spokespersons are media trained.
Show
Empathy
If a
story occurs that positions your business as the villain,
it is essential to first express empathy toward any perceived
victims.
Carefully
craft each of your communications to reflect your sympathy
toward their point of view, even when disagreeing with
it.
Consult
with an Attorney*
Always review sensitive issues and public comments with your company's legal
counsel prior to talking to the media.*
Apologize
When Appropriate
When an apology is appropriate, be positive and apologize to perceived victims.
See above.*
Never
Say "No Comment"
A "no comment" response to a reporter is not an appropriate answer
to any question; it automatically infers guilt no matter what the situation.
Check with company authorities and your attorney, then make a statement such
as, “we are checking into all the facts at this time,” or, “we
will check into details and get back to you as soon as we have all the correct
facts.”
A
Timely Response
Always get back to reporters as quickly as possible. If compiling the answers
to their questions, call them back and then follow through.
Communicate
Positively
Always communicate internally and externally using positive wording. The media
is not the venue in which to cast criticism.
