Marketing for the Real World
-by Barb Levisay-Whether you have a dedicated marketing team or a one-man show, make every moment you spend on marketing count with a clearly defined target market and consistent activity. Don’t get sidetracked chasing the latest surefire lead-generation technique or mimicking what other partners are doing.
Existing Customer Activities
The old rule of thumb says that the cost to acquire a new customer is seven times more than the cost of selling more to an existing customer. Whatever the true ratio, selling additional services to customers who trust you is clearly beneficial to both parties.
Send a handwritten note to one customer every week – There’s no better way to stand out from the crowd than to take the time to write a note thanking a customer for their business. It’s a great habit that takes very little time.
Include a gift card with your invoice – Thank your best customers
with an occasional gift card included in their bill. You’ll create a bit of buzz
with the customer and maybe even get bills paid faster.
Hold a customer-appreciation event – Thanking your customers for their business in person builds
goodwill that lasts long after the event. Social events can be expensive and a lot of work, but vendors
are often happy to pitch in.Introduce new customers to the company – When you add a new customer or complete a big project, share the news with your entire company. When every employee understands the kind of clients you attract and takes pride in your work, you have a powerful sales force.
Interview your customers – Put your clients in the spotlight and let them tell your story. They’ll appreciate the attention and provide validation for your services. You don’t have to hire a professional to make a fine video, but use a microphone to make sure you get decent audio as well as video.
Provide collateral that can be personalized – Partners have enough trouble keeping their own overview up-to-date, let alone ISV solution brochures. Give them powerpoint slides and Word versions of collateral so they can add their logo and contact information.
Test Your Current Systems
All of your marketing efforts are for naught if you don’t make it easy for a customer to contact you when they’re ready. Test every entry point into your company and make sure that your prospects won’t hit any dead ends or frustrating loops.
Enlist a friend to call your office – Find out what it’s like for a person to contact your company. Enlist the help of a friend to place a call or send an e-mail requesting information about your services.
Be a prospect – Move Beyond the Ordinary
Your prospects are bombarded from every direction with the same old sales pitches and promises. You need to be different to stand apart. Think outside the box, test creative approaches and let your personality shine.
Be bold – You can’t stand out from the crowd if you look like everyone else.
Have fun – The services that you deliver are serious business, but that doesn’t mean your marketing has to be lifeless. Show your personality and have fun with marketing. Everyone likes to smile.
All of the tactics listed here are valid methods to help you build your business, but your business is unique. Evaluate your choices in terms of your team’s strengths. Find the marketing tactics that fit your company’s personality, and it will be far easier to keep the marketing engine humming.
About the Author:
Barb Levisay owns Marketing for Partners, a marketing and service delivery leadership firm for Microsoft Dynamics, SharePoint and ISV partners.
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