“You Had Me At Hello”Connecting With Customers in a Tech Savvy World

Presented by: Liz Provo

Mass Marketing Resources

www.massmarketingresources.com

Liz ProvoMass Marketing Resources• Provider of marketing

services for small businesses • Extensive background in

sales, marketing and customer service

• Small business owner for 11 years

• Early adopter of blogging, email marketing & social media

• Member of HBRAWM since 2001

Communication in Business

Creating your personal brand

Recognizing, remembering and rewarding existing customers

Building new relationships based on trust

Choosing the right communication tools for your demographic

Social media – the ultimate referral tool

You Are Your BrandWhat makes you YOU?

What makes you different?

What are your personal strengths?

What are your biggest weaknesses?

What are you most proud of?

Who do you serve?

How have you added value?

How do others perceive you?

Who is your ideal client?

Branding Your Business

Also known as “good will” expectations

You do not OWN your brand

You cannot CONTROL your brand

You CAN make sure all actions align with your brand

Your employees represent your brand too!

Source: Owner Builder Custom Homes

Your Website:Clear Communication Begins HereConsistent colors, fonts, logo, content

Communication MaterialsStationary, cards, envelopes, postcards

Collateral Materials: Brochures, Sell sheets, folders

Vehicles:Wraps & Lettering

Signage:Business location, on-site

Phone, Fax Email

Voice mail messageProfessional

Fax CoverLogo, links

Email signatureLogo, links

Only 2 Places To Look For More Business

1. Existing customers1. Already know you

2. Already trust you

3. Already bought from you

2. New customers1. Cost 5 times more to acquire vs. retaining existing

customers

2. May not know you

3. May not trust you

Truth is….you need both!

“Every sale has five basic obstacles: no need, no money, no hurry, no desire, no trust.” ~Zig Ziglar

How Do You Attract Customers?

Website (HUB): Calls to action, FREE information, newsletter signup, social media links, lead capture, customer expectations

Directory Placements & Review Websites: Google Places, Referral websites (ServiceMagic), Angies List, Manta, Yelp

Social media

Email Marketing

Direct mail

Paid advertising: Print, radio, TV, Internet

Customer referrals

Volunteerism, PR, networking

We want your business!

A Look At Existing Customers

When was the last time you communicated with your clients?

What did you communicate?

How did you communicate? Snail mailEmailNewsletter (print or electronic)Phone In person

How often do you reach out to your customers?

Charting Your Demographics

Databases: Customer records & Reports: Quickbooks, spreadsheets (Excel), CRM (Customer Relations Management) software, sales data/invoices

Website analytics: Google Analytics

Social media metrics: Facebook Insights, YouTube Analytics, LinkedIn Follower & Page Insights

Your Communication Strategy – Hit or miss, or well structured?Use data to develop

comprehensive strategy

Focus on relationship marketing

Be pro-active – reach out – 7, 10 or more “touches”

Use your marketing calendar and editorial calendar wisely

Crafting & Communicating Your Message

Website

Email Marketin

g

Email (Trad.)

Print

Social Media

Phone

Personal Contact

Social Media:Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest, Blogs, Google+, etc.

People trust their SM friends to refer quality brands

SM is KEY to building relationships & trust today

Should be linked from website and each platform

Take SM “offline” for personal contact

Print, Phone, Personal Contact

Print media – think postcards, personal note cards, good presentation materials

Personal phone calls (not a sales calls) are appreciated after a sale

VALUE a client by sending kudos, meeting for coffee, acknowledging them

Remember, on average, it takes 7 touches for a sale to occur.• Some buy right away• Others research and

try• Some show interest

but don’t trust you yet

Good Communication Takes Time, Money, Energy & Effort…

How Do You Stay In Touch???

Email Marketing – The GluePeople who WANT to

receive your message

Permission-based

Ties well with social media and your website

Share content seamlessly

Instant communication

Promote, educate, enlighten

Low cost- high ROI

Provide Value To Your Audience

Newsletters:• Frequency: Regular i.e. monthly / weekly• Educational content (typically non-promotional)• Use bullets, summarize information, be concise• Click-through to website for more info.Promotions / Invitations / Surveys:• Frequency: Depends on your business and sales

cycle• Focus on promotion / limited content• Use content to invite click-through or other actionAnnouncements:• Frequency: Event-driven• Press releases, holiday greetings, thank you

cards…• Use content to build deeper relationships

Determine Appropriate Format

Frequency & Delivery TimeHow often to send• Create a master schedule• Include frequency in online

sign-up “Monthly Newsletter”• Keep content conciseWhen to send• Day of week (Tuesday &

Wednesday)• Time of day (10am to 3pm)• Send at different times and

compare resultsMaximum impact with minimum intrusion

Getting Email Opened

The “Subject” Line

Keep it short and simple

30-40 characters including spaces, (5-8 words)

Incorporate the immediate benefit of opening the email

Capitalize and punctuate carefully

Avoid copying the techniques inherent in spam emails (excessive punctuation, symbols, guarantee, free, etc.)

Track Results & Improve Lists

Monitor open rates, click through rates

Monitor bounce rates, spam alerts

Remove non-existent addresses

Check spellings of email addresses for accuracy

Make phone calls to assure correctness

In Closing

Create your personal brand

Recognize, remember and reward existing customers

Build new relationships based on trust

Choose the right communication tools for your demographic

Combine social media w/ email marketing for best results

A Special Offer . . . . .

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THANK YOU!