INCREASE PROFITS THROUGH AUTOMATION by Kathleen Gage
In years past, marketing simply meant running a few ads, doing a bit
of direct mail and maybe putting up a poster or billboard. Today,
things have changed. Not only do you have the front end marketing and
promotions in order to gain customers and clients, you absolutely
must have a good system in place to follow up with your customers and
keep your name fresh in their mind. Additionally, competition has
become increasingly fierce.
With the advent of the Internet and specific types of technology,
there are ways to do this with ease. The fear some people have,
especially in smaller communities, is that use of the Internet and
technology will take away the human aspect of doing business.
Although this may be true in some cases, fact is, proper use of
technology can allow you to have more time to spend with your
customers. Again, it is about putting systems in place to better
serve you and your customers/clients.
Use technology to your customer's advantage. Although you might not
be ready to embrace all that technology can do for you, your
customers may be. A few things to consider are:
ˇ Email follow up
ˇ Databases and contact management programs
ˇ Card scanners
ˇ Auto Responders
Technology allows you to respond to your customer's inquiries
immediately. It's amazing how many people said they didn't get
callbacks or emails back from someone in a company they wanted to do
business with. More amazing is how many companies lose sight of the
importance to have a system in place that allows them to develop a
marketing strategy for people who are already doing business with
them. Rather, they invest the majority of their time and money with
programs designed to go after new customers.
Imagine how much lost revenue occurs because of poor follow-up.
Again, good follow up should be a major part of your marketing
strategy.
Develop a system where you can keep in touch with your customers not
just right after the sale, but on a regular basis.
Capture contact information
Do what you can to capture key information on your customers. This
can be done by getting their business cards, having them fill in a
response card, or you fill out an information card on them. Input the
information into a database as quickly as possible. If you don't
input information immediately, names and information pile up and then
it becomes almost impossible to catch up. Again, it is a matter of
putting a system in place that allows you to stay on top of what you
are doing.
Databases and Contact Management Programs
A good contact management program will help you to keep track of your
customers. There are several on the market. Depending on the size and
type of your business you can either use a good off-the-shelf brand
or you may have to have one that is specific to your industry. A good
off-the-shelf brand is ACT! www.act.com
Business Card Scanners
If you collect a lot of business cards, you will want to consider
getting a card scanner. This is a device that links up to your
contact management program and you scan in the information from
business cards you have collected. One of the best on the market is
called Card ScanŽ. www.cardscan.com Although the scanner captures
most of the information, you will have to do a bit of clean up.
However, if you collect a lot of business cards, this is a must have.
Immediately upon inputting the card information into your database,
send out an email or thank you cards to people you met and begin the
process of keeping in touch.
Auto Responders
A good auto responder can take orders from your web sites, send out
follow up letters to customers, automate digital delivery of
information, track the visitors and sales, follow up with prospects,
and take subscriptions to your mailing list or ezine. An auto
responder is an excellent way to stay on top of requests that come
via your web site. Get Response is a very popular auto responder.
www.getresponse.com
Make Doing Business With You As Easy As Possible
People are busy. And yet, they want to be informed. Make the
experience with you one in which the customer feels like you want to
work with them instead of against them. Simplicity for your
customers/clients is a powerful marketing strategy.
About the Author
Kathleen Gage, President of Turning Point, Inc., is a marketing and
promotions advisor for small businesses and nonprofits. E-mail
kathleen@turningpointpresents.com. Receive a FREE report entitled A
Surefire Way to Increase Revenues when you subscribe to the Street
Smarts Marketing and PR NewsletterŠ. This FREE monthly online
newsletter contains powerful marketing concepts that you can use
right now! Informative articles written by a professional marketer
and promoter who helps small businesses increase their visibility and
profitability. Click www.turningpointpresents.com to sign up.
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