With Denise’s assistance, clients can expand their existing telephone operations to support a direct marketing program or can easily embark upon setting up a new operation from scratch.
You’ve worked hard to get your inventory in place and your marketing programs out the door. Ca-¢hing! Your first $ale is registered! Now your efforts need to be balanced between retaining and up selling these customers while continuing to acquire new customers.
Your first sale is the beginning of an ongoing communication with your customer base. Here are some practical ideas for developing your Customer Communication Plan and getting it in place.
I. Getting Prepared
What communication tools do you have at your disposal?
There are many ways to communicate with your customers. Start the process by identifying the ones you have available. Here’s a list to consider:
- E-newsletter
- Direct mail
- Customer and prospect database
- The telephone
- Your company’s website
- Your company’s blog
- Blogs you post to and blogs you visit
- Brochures
- Sales letters
- And pricing sheets
Identify and line up the customer touch points into your company
Who will be corresponding with the customer? Will it be:
- Sales?
- Marketing?
- Customer Service?
- the Executive Team?
- Everyone?
A Customer Communication Plan can include all or many of these departments and individuals. All possible touch points should be equipped to support the customer relationship, respond to inquiries, capture information, and guarantee that the customer correspondence is completed and satisfied.
Get your database in line
The best relationships are based on intimacy and knowledge about your customer. As part of the launch of a new campaign, prepare your database to capture relevant information about the campaign and its buyers. And prepare your team to use your customer database as a source of knowledge and affiliation, as well as an opportunity to add additional knowledge to the customer’s account.
Think ‘Repeatable’ and ‘Repurpose’
Every time you develop copy or acquire additional customer information ask the question, ‘Where else can I use all or part of this? Where else will it work?’ Focus on developing material that can be used in as many customer interactions as possible.
For example, many of the questions and answers you provide as support for your Customer Service team can be included as value adds in your direct mail piece and posted on your website. Product brochures can be included as part of the order fulfillment and they can also be posted to your website. Customer Service can use this information as training material and to support customer conversations.
II. Getting the Communication in Place
Create a ‘Communication Road Map’
Starting with the first order and capturing all customer-initiated and company-initiated contacts, create a Communication Road Map that identifies all possible entry and exit points of customer conversations. Each entry point has the purpose of advancing the customer relationship. Identify the tools that will work to make this happen.
For example, when a customer calls into Customer Service, equip the telephone representatives with a list of special offers. If a customer connects with a company representative at a social or community event, have a process to create a personalized follow-up note or email and include a special offer.
Take a piece of advice from your mother: always say ‘Thank You’ and do it right away
And while you are thanking them, introduce other offers and products. Give them an incentive to buy again soon: a percentage off their next purchase, a coupon code to redeem, a free sample, etc. Connect them to or highlight information on your website or blog – information you left off of your initial correspondence because it would distract from the offer. These can be testimonials, new product and services, special reports and articles.
Welcome them as a customer by sending a ‘welcome kit’
This does not have to be elaborate or expensive. It can even just include a one-page email with your company mission/purpose statement, Customer Service contact numbers and email addresses, a one-time, very special offer, and a link to sign up for your electronic newsletter and special, customer-only offers.
Put them into your system with a next contact date and action
All contacts, including the first sales, should be recorded in your customer database. Identify the next series of actions and offers. Date each event and set it up to trigger the next scheduled event. Having a plan is critical to your success.
‘Tickle’ them from time to time, for no particular reason
Give your customers a call, make them a special offer, or ask them about their interests and their experience with your products and company. Tell them how much you appreciate having them as a customer. Many companies do not take the time to do this, but those who do distinguish themselves from their competitors. Be sure to record their feedback and act on it.
Give them a way to share your offers with their friends and family
‘Share’ and ‘Email’ buttons on your email correspondence, your website and your blog makes it easy for your customers to extend your offers to their connections. Be sure to include icons for the most popular social networking sites.
Show how much you appreciate their business
Thank your customer for their business during every interaction. Add a formal ‘Customer Appreciation Week’ (or month) to your company’s calendar. You can tag onto one that happens in the U.S. during the fall season or designate a time that is relevant for your company.
Tips for additional traction:
- Make a special offer incentivizing referrals and friends.
- Communicate your appreciation on important dates: birthdays, holidays, anniversaries (of the first purchase).
- Take the time to survey your customers, keep your eyes open for recommendations that will improve your business and the relationships you have with your customers.
- And don’t forget the all important ‘we have missed you’ offer.
The first sale is the start of many sales. Identifying and organizing a Customer Communication Plan will keep your company connected and top-of-mind with your customers and will provide you with a consistent stream of satisfied and engaged customers.
Sincerely,
Denise Clancey
www.teledirectpartners.com
P.S. Organizing and maintaining a Customer Communication Plan is easy with help from the Masters. I am available to get you started, as are each of the Marketing Masters. Email us at info@marketingwiththemasters.com
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