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Give the Customer What They Want!

Written by: Nancy Arter

Article Overview: This article talks about how to more effectively direct market to your valuable customers, taking into account HOW they want to be communicated with and through which marketing channel.

Give the Customer What They Want!

Not only give them what they want, but give it to them when they want it, and how they want it with an understanding of why they want it. A tall order to ask of us marketers... Yet, if we can present the appropriate offer to the right prospect at the right time, with a message that resonates and through a channel that they prefer we all know that our campaign will be a successful one. But, wow, it's not easy, is it?

Here's some data on an article that was recently reported in "DM News" about how Americans prefer to receive credit card applications.

The article talks about how Americans typically get their credit cards through a pre-approved direct mail piece that is unsolicited, sent to them. "Forty-two percent of U.S. consumers received their newest credit card through a pre-approved credit card offer, according to Cardbeat, a syndicated market research report by management-consulting firm Auriemma Consulting Group."

We Americans prefer it when the credit grantor takes the effort to do their homework and present us with an offer that is tailored to our particular financial situation. We like our chosen financial institution to essentially complete the application by accessing our personal credit data. And, we're fine with this type of privacy intrusion because we see a clear benefit--we now have a new credit card, and we didn't have to do much (if anything) to get it. Plus, we didn't have to experience the potential rejection of being turned down--we ALL hate feeling like a loser.

As a direct marketer in today's information-rich age, we need to carefully balance the need to serve our customers with the need to respect their privacy. We're going to have to remember that our customers hate junk mail (typically). They hate to be bothered by annoying pop-up ads, despise SPAM and they ESPECIALLY hate people calling them during dinnertime. It's tough getting a message out.

(At this point, I know that many readers will say, ok fine, let customers come to you. Let them ask you to be their customer. Stop annoying them with unsolicited offers. Well, in the case of credit cards, consumers don't want to look for a card. They want it to come to them. And, the credit card industry is not alone. Ok, enough of THAT sidebar.)

Bottom-line, if we live by the mantra: "Give the People What they Want," we should do okay.

It's truly that simple. If we are providing a clear benefit to our customer or future customer, if we are thinking of their needs (and not just of making money for ourselves), we will be successful. We'll make the client happy and turn a profit, too.

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Article Tags: annoying pop, approved credit card, article talks, consulting group, credit card applications, credit card offer, credit grantor, dinnertime, direct mail, dm news, financial institution, financial situation, junk mail, mail piece, management consulting firm, personal credit data, pop up ads, pre approved credit, pre approved credit card, privacy intrusion
Referred by: http://www.internet-search-marketing.com



Related Forum Posts
Re: Due Diligence, Market Research.. Ahead of the curve. - You can use SurveyMonkey or other surveys programs to research your market. It is easy to use and I do it all the time. If you have a list you can send that survey to your list. If you don't have a list, find an ezine owner and send the survey to his list paying him money in exchange. About advertising, I would advise to use social media advertising, because people are responsive to these things there and it is free, but effective form of advertising. Also... People love FREE. yes, it is magic word. Customer doesn't like when he sees you are trying to sell him something. Give as much free info as possible and when you offer them paid subsciption after this, they will trust you and your sincerety and will join probably. Orxan
Re: Two Useful Books To Help You Focus On The CLIENT - Hi David, To add to your thread, I'd like to recommend Jonathan Tisch's "Chocolates On The Pillow Aren't Enough: Reinventing The Customer Experience". Tisch's book includes content on "Welcoming Customers", "The New Art of Customization", "The Challenges of Customer Diversity" and "Offering Something Extra to Your Customers" to name a few.
Re: Have a Security Clearance Question? But are afraid to ask? - I think I've already addressed your topic in another forum or thread, but I think the easiest way to generate additional traffic to your web site is to provide content that is fresh, new, and insightful. Give users a reason to access your web site besides purchasing your services. Give them a reason to gain knowledge and they will come back and give you business when they can. Good luck in your campaign, and I hope everything turns out for you! One question I have is do security clearances check your family information as well (family criminal offences, etc).
Re: Paypal process $315 million in payments per day. - I agree with you David, their Customer relations suck. This mean other payment systems like 2CO and WORLDPAY should work on their customers relations to take more slice of the market.
Re: need advice - I'm sure Africa needs call centers too. Give us more information on the specifics. Why are you skeptical?


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