Business & Work

Most businesses today are functioning in competitive and saturated market places. It’s becoming harder and harder to be seen – or heard. With the expansion of the internet consumers are being constantly bombarded with promotional messages all fighting for some of their attention. Brand awareness marketing is becoming less effective and internet marketing experts are promoting the idea of new multi media interactive campaigns to attract attention and retain interest. This is great if you have thousands of pounds to spend on internet marketing.

So how do you ensure that your business stands out without spending a fortune? How do you gain that edge over your competitor when his product is as good as yours and his brand is just as powerful?

Answer: You excel in your customer service

Good marketing is all about the customer. All good marketing consultants will tell you that. I’m sure most of you business owners in your fifties or sixties know that. Most of you will know that customers buy as a result of an emotional trigger. Clever market research is there to discover what triggers make certain people buy certain products.

But once you have a new customer how do you ensure that he buys again and again and that he tells all his friends, family and colleagues about your company? Referral is one of the best and most powerful forms of marketing – and it is free. So how do get those referrals?

Ingenious Marketing

Well, you could develop a customer referral programme or ask your customers to recommend you to a friend or invent some other ingenious method but there is one guaranteed way of getting referrals which is simple and is obvious.

You provide the best, most excellent customer service that is possible. You ensure that your customer feels totally reassured about buying your product and about your company. You exceed his highest expectations, you make him feel absolutely fantastic about his purchase - and he will tell everybody he can about his experience and your company.

For example, once your customer has placed an order you might send him information on what will happen next, when his product will be delivered, what he should do when he receives it and any other information that he might need at that time. After he has received the product you could write and ask him if he is happy with it and provide some more information that he might be interested to know.

I bought a product once and two months later to my utmost surprise and delight I received a wonderful free book in the post to tell me more about the subject. As you can imagine it felt like a gift and then and there I felt valued by that company and completely reassured that they had my best interest at heart. I would recommend them to anyone.

Share your Knowledge

You don’t need to spend a great deal of money on improving your customer service.
It just takes time. Time to think about your customers’ needs, doubts, hopes and fears. Time to write reports or give them free information, time to write interesting and informative emails. If you do send them a free book then obviously this will be included in the price at the beginning. Free e-books are a great way to provide information and are cost effective. As a more experienced business owner you will have masses of knowledge about your industry to share – so share it.

Develop yourself an opt-in email database and send your customers exciting reports or interesting news about new developments in the industry. Don’t constantly try and sell your customer stuff – give him free stuff. Build a relationship. Care about him.

Many of your competition will be providing good or mediocre customer service but if you can provide outstanding service that makes your customers feel absolutely cared for and looked after – even after they have paid for the service – then they will come back and they will tell everybody they can about it. It is unusual for businesses to provide high levels of customer care – if you do your business will stand out.

If you make the aim of your business to add value to people’s lives and make them feel good you cannot fail to outstrip the competition. You product or service will attract customers consistently.

Michelle Dibb

Michelle Dibb
Obi Media Ltd

T: 01803 863774
michelle@obimedia.co.uk  
www.obimedia.co.uk  

Based near Exeter in Devon Michelle works as a Marketing Consultant. She specialises in communicating the benefits of a product or service to the customer rather than creating brand awareness. Down to earth and practical her marketing advice really does work. She offers:

• Copywriting and design of direct mail, brochures, leaflets and sales letters.
• Planning and development of websites.
• Production of monthly email newsletters, reports or press releases.
• Advice on setting up an opt-in email database (essential for all growing businesses).
• PR that really works.
• Advice on marketing strategy and planning.