Marketing to your existing customer base
Taking inventory. What type of products and / or services does your company sell? Many companies sell one or more products and / or services; How well do you know your business? Starting with a basic list or categorizing products / services will help you organize and add clarity when developing a new base marketing strategy. Once your list is built, you can begin the process of determining what you want your customer base to know about your organization.
Analyzing the data. Extracting lists by date from databases or CRM systems is the easiest way to analyze data because each entry in one of these types of systems automatically updates the date in the customer record. If you don’t maintain a customer database, the process will be a bit more manual, but it’s still worth the effort.
Data to consider in your analysis:
– Date of the last contact.
– Last order. What did the customer buy?
– Notes on the account. Is there a reason this customer was not contacted?
You will then need to sort the data in a format that is consistent, for example ordered by product / service purchases, dates, or any other sorting method that makes sense for your campaign development.
Get back in touch. If it has been a while since the customer was contacted, you may consider a quick phone call to see if the company is still in business or if the person still resides at the residence listed in your contact information. This can be done in a very informal and non-intrusive way by informing the person you are calling to update their records.
If you choose to use email as a method of reintroducing yourself, use a campaign that informs the recipient of your intention … to get back in touch or another soft sales technique. Genuine, personalized notes tend to work better than a high-selling promo letter.
Types of customer base marketing strategies. There are several methods you can use to keep in touch with your customers on an ongoing basis. Some of the methods below can be used every day, some are longer term and will require a little more planning.
– Use a signature block with a slogan announcing new products, new awards, new acquisitions, or other news of this nature. This is a very subtle way to keep your customers up to date.
– Use out-of-office responses to create a marketing message. Announce service changes, product launches, or upcoming events.
– Create a newsletter for the customer. Set up a schedule to automatically ship weekly, monthly, or quarterly. The frequency will be determined by how and what updates occur within your organization. Always make sure to include an opt-out option, as it is a requirement of the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003.
Automated phone services
– Instead of music on hold, record a message announcing new products, services, and other updates that the customer may be interested in hearing about.
– Add a fax-on-demand option for customers who may be interested in learning more about a particular special or add a coupon that can be delivered through the on-demand service.
Websites and Internet
– Keep the information on the website updated. Make company announcements on the home page and provide a way for interested parties to contact you easily.
– Carry out an online seminar or product demonstration. Tools like GoToMeetings or WebEx are a great way to get in front of the customer without all the costs associated with travel. This is also a great way to provide training. When you’ve completed a session, ask for feedback. This will help you determine if the message was delivered with impact.
– Offer a referral fee or a finder fee to your current customers.
What are the benefits of grassroots marketing? In addition to potentially generating new sales, marketing to your customer base shows goodwill and helps build customer loyalty, builds an image or reinforces the brand, and gains insight into what your customers think about your company and your products. and / or services. It’s a win-win situation, so why not get started today?