It happened this past January, here in the middle of Iowa…
The highways were a bit ice-packed and a “towing ban” was in effect.
(If you’re lucky enough to not know the term, that means if your car stalls or goes off the road, you’re stuck. Tow trucks can’t help you out.)
Anyway, there I was driving my 45-mile commute to the office, slipping and sliding around, and I got to thinking.
“Does my AAA membership help me out if I go off the road during a tow ban? Can I count on them to come save me from a frosty death in a ditch today?”
We’d had the premium membership for five years, so I couldn’t remember all the benefits we get with our yearly dues.
At that moment, I was annoyed with them for not doing a better job of keeping me informed. I mean, what the heck was I paying that money for every year?
Yeah, I realize I should do a better job of keeping myself informed and prepared. But I was feeling pretty lonely and unprotected on the icy road. The exact opposite of what AAA wants their members to feel.
A marketing lesson from a cold, dark place
So, what’s the lesson I took away? What can I pass on to you to help you out with your marketing?
Ask yourself these questions:
- How am I staying top-of-mind with my prospects?
- How about my past and current customers or clients?
- Do they know all of the products, services, and support I can offer them?
- When was the last time I reached out to let them know I appreciate them and am here for them?
If you have a large customer base or a big list of prospects to keep informed, I know it’s a daunting thought to reach out to all of them.
But you’ve got to start somewhere. You want to make sure they’re thinking warm, positive thoughts about you next time they’re in a pinch.
Where do you start?
Well, the obvious answer should be with email.
If you’ve been doing a good job building a list, you can send periodic emails to remind them of what you do. What you offer. What problems you can solve for them.
If you don’t want to hit your entire list, start with your best customers. The top 20% of your most receptive and active customer base.
Got a new product — let them know.
Got a service nobody seems to know about or use? Share a success story or highlight the benefits of using the service.
This is a great way to stay in contact with them and be the one they think of when the time comes to reach out for your solution.
How about your website?
Look at Amazon as a glowing example. Every time you search for something or buy something, they have a list of other products “you might also be interested in…”
Could you do something like that on your website?
Look at your list of offerings and see what you can come up with. At the end of each product or service description, is there an opportunity to suggest a complementary item?
Maybe you’re a product manufacturer or rep and you offer design or technical services to help busy architects. Do they know that? Is it obviously stated on your website? That could be a good thing to highlight.
Even if I’ve used your products or services in the past, if enough time goes by, it’s easy to forget about your awesomeness without the occasional reminder.
I’m sure you can look at your marketing strategy and find missing opportunities to remind your tribe of what it is you do.
What can I do for you…
I’d be remiss if I didn’t do the same for you here at the end of this post.
Did you know I can help you dig into your current marketing and find the holes? Offer you ways to start filling in those gaps?
It’s called the “Marketing Position Discovery & Key Message Copy Platform.”
The Marketing Position Discovery helps you:
- Clearly define your target audience(s)
- Define your primary value messages that set you apart from the competition
- Develop a message strategy.
The Key Message Copy Platform is unique for every company. The final complete document is typically 7 to 15 pages long. Packed with direct-response marketing messages you can use to help move your prospects through the decision-making process and take action.
If you’re ready to tighten up the focus of your marketing messages, go to the contact form and send me a note. Let’s get started.
Make it a great marketing day!
Neil