Starting a Business - Part 5
How committed are you to showing up?
Remember your customers are people. Always consider the lifetime value of people over a sale. Empathize and relate with them. Give them value and become a trusted resource to them.
Think of the brands you follow, what keeps you coming back, or better yet, referring your friends?
Attracting & Retaining the Right Clients
There is much more to it than making an offer and a customer buying (or not...).
Of course, your product or service must deliver on its promise. That’s a given. But, if you want brand loyalty, you must also be super focused on the customer experience at every stage and deliver value specific to the stage they are in. There are 3 main stages of the customer journey - awareness, consideration, and decision.
Awareness. The customer becomes aware of a need or problem and starts looking for solutions. This is where you are making a first impression of your brand.
Content at the awareness stage that adds value could include:
How to’s (or video tutorials)
Ebooks / Reports
Checklists
Consideration. The customer starts comparing a few potential solutions to their problem, including your product or service. Make your offer as clear as possible, and highlight how they will benefit most from your solution. Make sure you are priced right and present your unique selling proposition - why they should choose you.
Content at the consideration stage that adds value could include:
Case studies / Datasheets
Product webinars or demonstrations
Samples
FAQ’s
Decision. The customer is ready to choose a solution and make a purchase. Customer reviews are almost always a key factor in their purchasing decision. Also, make sure your offer is tangible. Offer bonuses right out of the gate to address the main objections.
Content at the decision stage that adds value could include:
Customer reviews
Case studies
Free trials
Live demonstrations
Consultations
Coupons
Customer Retention. Now that you have gained their business and trust, you should work hard to maintain it. It is much easier and roughly 5x cheaper to keep an existing customer than it is to attract a new one.
Content to add value and help with customer retention could include:
Surveys
Testimonial requests
Follow up satisfaction phone calls
How to’s or demonstrations for using your product or service
Small gifts of appreciation, which could be in the form of a simple pdf
Advocacy is the big goal to aim for with your customers and the hardest to achieve. This is when your customers start to refer friends and family to your brand, products, or services. Referrals are the most powerful marketing for your brand.
Ask your customers to spread the word. Have a simple system for referrals and coach your clients on the referral system with a little card, email, or shareable link.
Customers expect a smooth experience throughout their journey without repetition or complexity. Work to improve their experience by:
Understanding who your customers are
Understanding their goals
Mapping out the touchpoints of their journey
Identifying potential pain points
Addressing any roadblocks & continuously improving the process
It starts with attraction. It’s time to find where your ideal customer is spending their time and work to create an awareness of your brand. This is where you may work to build a following on a social platform they are already on. You need to consistently show up with amazing and shareable content and strive for that wow factor. Work to bring them into your own world. Keep the risk small and make it as easy as possible to enter your world. A lead generator is a great way to deliver free value in exchange for an email address. Your brand or business is much more likely to be seen in your prospects' inbox than relying on being seen on social media alone.
Revisit Part 3 of this blog series for more details: Critical Foundational Marketing Elements.
Always be thinking about how you can scale, leverage, or 10x your reach through your referral program, joint venture opportunities, participating on a podcast, or going live with someone with a similar following.
It takes time to build brand perception and recognition. Though it can seem overwhelming, focus on the lifetime value of your people and try to have a little fun along the way. Your clients will sense your enthusiasm and authenticity.
Check out Starting a Business - A Guide for the Online Entrepreneur for a summary of this blog series and what you can expect to learn each week.
Do you need help aligning all aspects of your business so your message is clear, concise, creative, and speaks to your ideal customer? If you answered YES, book an introductory consultation to learn how we can help you! We will speak with you to learn all about your business goals and needs during this free call. Should you choose to work with us, we promise to save you time and any frustration that can come along with having a business.
Some of our services include:
Strategizing
Brand Messaging
Copy & Content Writing
Logo & Web Design
Digital Marketing
Social Media
At Evoke Creative, we are here to help you, help them.
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