As businesspersons, you are more than familiar with the importance of identifying your ideal client or customer. Location, age, habits, and lifestyle are all vital pieces that help you know how best to reach them; but facts, figures and data are only part of the marketing equation. There is a psychology behind successful marketing strategy. You need to understand what is motiving the consumer to purchase or not to purchase.
It bears remembering before Covid-19, Albertans were experiencing uncertain financial times, then came a pandemic and now, for many, financial challenges have deepened. Where does all this leave you and your business marketing? Simply put, at this point, the consumer does not want to be sold to. They are worried, preoccupied and stressed. So how do you reach them?
1) Skip the sales & industry jargon. Whether in ads, posts or face-to-face, talk to customers using normal words.
2) Ensure your customer’s journey is a smooth one. Business hours, phone numbers current. Email forms and messaging systems functioning.
3) Clean up the company website. Stale vision statements and archives of past events are not what the client is looking for. Make it uncluttered and easy to navigate.
4) Be generous. Help your fellow businesses and organizations by sharing their posts on social media.
5) Collaborate with a compatible business to offer a package of products or services. This doubles your marketing exposure and customers see it as an opportunity to get more value for their dollar.
6) Don’t up-sell.
7) Personalize all your communication streams.
Is it time to hire marketing help?
Ask yourself, why do people hire you or come into your shop? They trust you - you in turn should enter a relationship with a marketer based on the same premise.
Whether it is an independent consultant or marketing team such as the Newsy Neighbour (and no, they didn’t know I was writing that) they have experience and are well versed in how your customer is thinking and feeling right now.
Set aside uninterrupted time to talk with them by phone or online meeting platform.
Be prepared with a budget, time frame, intended target demographic and goal(s).
Marketers are not staff. They are experts in their field so listen and have an open mind.
Accept that fresh strategies will be needed going forward.
Whoever you hire, the relationship should be a mutually respectful one. Don’t second guess them; trust their expertise and they in turn should trust that you know your business and final decisions are ultimately yours.
Never has it been so important to build a solid support team starting with your marketing.