In sales training, we're taught to use the name of the person we're trying to do business with, not only to help ourselves remember their name, but to let the client know we're in tune, we "know" them. Some big companies are beginning to take this concept to a whole new level - by making items with the client name right in it. What kind of impression do you think that makes? A lasting one, I believe.
Now You're Getting Personal
In recent months, I've received offers in the mail from several large firms, each used my company name in a website, making me feel kind of special. Imagine my delight when I saw, " Order online at your very own website we've built for you, www.xyzwidgets.com/bizcoachdeb." Not only memorable and clever, it makes you feel like the vendor took serious time to do their homework and build such a spot for little ole me. Honestly, I couldn't resist seeing what they had there for me to spend my marketing dollar on.
Let's Talk About Me Getting samples in the mail is nothing really new, pen and giveaway companies have been doing it for years. What's changed in the last couple of years is getting these samples with your name already on it. Not every company does this, but I would venture a guess that the ones that do, see a ROI when the customer likes the sample. Why? Because every month, new things arrive to me with my name on it. With annual sales well over $15 Billion, someone knows the niche very well. When a calendar or highlighter arrive with my name on it, I'm far more likely to keep it and also to order, after all, haven't I just seen the item as close to finished as it might be? If I tend to like it, I'm betting my client will like it, too.
Want to make a lasting impression on your small business client? Keep their name in the forefront of your mind and whenever possible, use it to their advantage. If you're selling a new brand of notepad, brand it with their name and give it as a sample. Selling a new line of flash memory sticks? Same thing. Be creative and think of the possibilities; they're literally endless. Remember that website idea? What if you made a site for your client, highlighting things you know they need and use? Your client will appreciate the added touch and care you took getting to know them.
Care to take a guess as to how many small businesses get started each month here in the U.S.? According to a study done by the Kaufmann Foundation, more than 465,000 entrepreneurs hang a new shingle out each month - that number is not a misprint. With such a staggering figure, even during obviously slim times, the opportunity to reach these businesses remains very strong. So how best to make sure you are not overlooking them? Start first with acknowledging them, regardless of their size or where they are on the map.
Location, Location, Location
Recently, I tried unsuccessfully to do business with a large, international office supply company whose headquarters are rather close to my own. After jumping through what I consider "needless hoops", I was virtually kicked to the curb because my business is home-based. Why that matters, I don't know, but I was given little to do other than finding my way to another supplier. Of course, it's a little disheartening; I have an excellent credit rating and have been in business more than a decade, but this didn't appear to matter. Instead of dwelling on it and going to the top to complain, I calmly dialed my other supplier who has always regarded me as a business they wanted to serve, irrespective of my size or location - my bad for looking for a deal. To me, this is the perfect example of what not to do as a large corporation - why on earth would you care where the client is located, as long as you can ship or deliver there? Better yet, wouldn't this actually be a great niche to hit, given the enormous amount of growth in the small business sector? Oh, and did I mention the other supplier is a nationwide supplier in their own right? Don't Fence Me In There is profiling of all sorts going on in the business world and really, I think it's offensive as a small business owner to answer silly surveys and questions about my spending habits and what I see my business doing over the next 5 years - it's really none of your business, even if you think you're entitled to know. What should be your focus is concerning yourself with my needs and concerns as they are presently; rather than ask a client if they're buying a printer this year, why not find out how things are going, really going? Why not offer options that don't always mean upgrading to some new, more expensive item that you want the client to buy? How about proactively presenting simple solutions to common problems, some of which might be entirely free? Why not think about their bottom line, versus yours? If you can do these things and offer them more affordable, unique alternatives, even if it means referring them, you will earn their trust and their business. If you're only looking to move them into the next new widget they really don't even need, you're just another salesman they will not want to avoid.
Size Really Shouldn't Matter
While it might help you fix on a potential number you can expect in sales over a year, it does little for your client when you ask how many people they have employed at their company. Whether they have 1 or 50, they still control the purse strings and your company will only gain their business by treating them like they were the largest VIP account you could ever have. Dispense with looking at a company and discounting them because of their size - small businesses are connected to other small businesses; they share information, good experiences and they talk amongst themselves - they also tell each other who to stay away from, I know I do every day. If your business has a model that simply doesn't want smaller clients, at the very least, refer them to another company that is willing to serve them no matter their size or location.
Small businesses across the U.S. want to do business with companies that treat them as important and worthwhile players. For your company to be successful in reaching them, put yourself in their shoes and walk around awhile; you might find that by adjusting your offerings to accommodate companies on the smaller scale, you'll actually be making more room for growth for them and more profits for you.
Last month I gave you some ideas on keeping the verbal lines of communications open with your customers. As promised, this time I'll be covering some ideas on staying in touch in writing, a lost form of communication for some businesses. Whether electronic or paper, written communication is still one of the best ways to reach out and stay in touch with your customers. How you do so will determine many things, among them, the quality of the relationship you maintain with your customers.
We're All Human
The basis for solid business communication is the understanding that a critical element in the process is the human being. In her book, The Voice of Authority, Dianna Booher reminds us that, "New technology appears and disappears from the scene. The one constant is human interaction." When you add this important aspect to your communications, you create a more concrete bond with the customer. Relate to them as a person and you become more real to them, rather than just another company trying to win their business. This doesn't mean you drop all the professionalism and get so informal as to confuse your customer - it simply means adding a caring, human tone to your correspondence, one that an every day text message might miss.
Get Personal
Personalizing your written business communications has been shown to really add to the bottom line. InformationWeek conducted a study of 375 business managers and IT managers; of those that personalize all communications with their customers, 39% report a significant increase in their e-business revenue. There are similar studies in the paper world, but the reality is if you can reach the customer on a more personal level, they respond. And personalization isn't just about using someone's name; mailed letters, handwritten thank you's, even a brief note attached to an article you found - these are all smart ways of staying in touch with your customer in a more meaningful way and building a relationship centered on the customer and their needs.
Electronically Yours
While electronic communication might be one of the easier ways to stay in touch with your customers, it can also spell disaster if you do so too infrequently or not frequently enough. A key consideration needs to be the relevancy of your correspondence - are you keeping the customer at the center of your offer or are you bragging about your company? The latter will likely end you up in the trash. Electronic newsletters and offers must be something your customer can use and should be sent at least quarterly to stay top of mind with them. These pieces need to be concise and mindful that your customer is running a small business; they might not have much time to read a long piece. Provide links for them to get more information and always give them a way to opt out of your mailing. If you're having a sale, make it easy for them to order and leave out the gimmicks - that goes double for rebates. Small businesses don't want to sift through the ins and outs of an offer. What's the best way to determine how often to send offers or information electronically? Ask your customer!
Communicating with your customer is the building block for establishing a lasting relationship with them. Be there throughout the sales cycle and long past, keeping them up to date and aware of changes, great deals and ideas that will help them continue to thrive. Doing this makes you a resource for them and creates a repeat customer for you.
Before you start belting out Led Zeppelin, consider the meaning of the statement and how far reaching it can be. If you're a big business trying to reach small businesses, how well you communicate with your prospects will determine whether or not they become an actual client. A survey performed recently by Public Agenda (a nonprofit research are of the Pew Charitable Trusts) indicates a staggering 94% of respondents consider reaching a company voicemail system, versus a human voice, "extremely frustrating." It seems the bigger the company, the further removed they are from their clients. Big business has spent enormous amounts of money building elaborate communication systems and this could be the kiss of death as you prospect for new small business clients. So what steps can you take to bridge the chat gap with your small business prospects? In the first of this two-part series, I'll outline some key communications ideas you can implement to keep in close touch with your clients, both prospective and active.
Can You Hear Me Now?
For the most part, voicemail sounded like a great idea. In use since about 1975, many in corporate America looked at it as a way to trim costs and presumably lead callers where they needed to go. It seemed like the perfect answer when layoffs and "down-sizing" became a common part of the business vernacular. Today, most will agree it's maybe done more harm than good when it comes to keeping in touch with clients. Be honest, how many times have you got stuck in "voicemail hell", just hoping someone, anyone would pick up your call and get you the help you needed? My guess is everyone has had this experience, but what's important to glean here is this: the further away from your customer you are, the more accessible you need to be. Let me say this again for the people in the cheap seats - the further away from your customer you are, the more accessible you need to be. This means if you're doing business remotely with your customer, you need to give them access to you by any means possible. Why? Because whether you want to admit it or not, it's fairly likely your customer is being pursued by a local vendor or ten; someone who drops by, makes calls, returns calls, and pays attention to them. Almost sounds like a romance, right? It sort of is.
Get Closer, Really, It's Okay
One way to stay in better contact with your customers is simply to give them every method possible for getting in touch with you. It's important to have this personal contact with your client, it builds rapport, trust and a relationship they come to rely on. Once you do this, though, you must be committed to this one critical credo: be accessible no matter what. If your customers contact you by phone, try to answer it and if you can't, make certain you have a great voicemail message that is current and lets them know when they can expect your return call…and make sure you call back, even if it's just to confirm the call and let them know you'll get the answer they seek. The goal really is to prevent them from going to voicemail or worse, from missing you altogether and never leaving a message.
Virtually Yours
Being a major advocate of answering calls whenever you can, I know there are times when it's nearly impossible; you might actually be in a meeting with another client or you're in flight. Whatever the reason, there is another way to give your client the attention they need and the human contact they crave - enter the Virtual Office Assistant (VOA). This is not an entirely new concept; it's more of an updated version of an "answering service." Your VOA can answer your calls in live-time, transfer to you or someone else in your organization, and even offer answers to typical questions some callers might have, such as pricing or providing a fax number. This solution is fully customizable and offers your client a human point of contact first, with the second option of voicemail, only if necessary. Google "virtual office" or "virtual assistant" to learn more.
There are many great and innovative ways to communicate with your clients, but the one thing it all boils down to is the connection they have with you, the human being. By offering your clients multiple ways to stay in touch with you, you're telling them they're important to you and you want to serve them. As they continue to grow their small business, you will become the resource they keep as their secret weapon.
Check back for the second part of this series where I'll be covering written communication ideas for connecting with your clients.
EvanCarmichael.com is the world's #1 website for small business motivation and strategies. Evan also runs a series of successful Mastermind Groups in Toronto for entrepreneurs.
Guest Contributor: Deb Kolaras
