Welcome to Thursday and the conclusion of this 3-parter from Small Fuel:
The 3 Phases of Successful Marketing
Expert marketers know that the true goal of their craft isn’t simply to land the initial sale; instead, it is to cultivate an ever-growing base of loyal repeat customers. But many people have a hard time getting the customer to feel satisfied and ready to do business with them again, never mind getting customers so satisfied they’ll spread the word about their offerings.
To make sure you don’t leave money on the table, you need to give your customers the attention and service they deserve at all three critical transaction points: Before, During and After the sale.
Read on to discover if you are doing all the right things that turn a one-time customer into a consistent stream of income for your business.
The Third Stage: After The Sale
When the sale is final, it is critical that your follow-up system makes the customer feel safe, secure, and valued. At the minimum they should receive confirmation emails after their order and upon shipping so that they have a sense of connection with the order and know you haven’t forgotten them once their credit card has cleared (incidentally, these emails are prime opportunities to also let them know about additional offerings, since your customers are still in the buying mood).
Beyond the order and delivery, few things match the marketing effectiveness of “check-in” follow-ups. Contact the customer to ask them whether they are satisfied with their purchase (and make things right if they aren’t). Offer them special deals in the future as a way to show appreciation for their purchase. Offer them free information on complementary services or help them learn about new ways to take advantage of what they have already purchased. Go the extra mile to show them you still want to help solve their problems, even when there isn’t a transaction attached to it, and enjoy the positive word of mouth advertising that flows from your efforts.
How Do You Measure Up?
When it comes to your business, are you just “pushing sales,” or are you truly trying to wow your customers and develop long-term relationships with them? Set aside some time this month and ask yourself how you are treating the customer in each of these three areas, and what you might need to do differently to increase the lifetime value of your customers. Then put the answers you come up with into practice, and enjoy the boost in sales that comes with making your customers feel valued before, during and after every sale.
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