Let me ask you something. How many people do you think have purchased something from your business in the past year alone? Now let me ask you this: Have you made some kind of effort to stay in touch with these customers? If not, why?
It's important to get your customers' contact information, because it's far easier and much cheaper to sell to current customers than it is to acquire new ones. Thanks to the Internet, it's possible to do this in a very cost-effective manner. Let's see how this can be done:
* Email marketing: It's simple; you ask your customer to enter their best email address into a Web form so you can email them exclusive coupons and discounts. Or you can host a newsletter in which you send out tips and tricks related to your niche.
* SMS marketing: Just like email marketing, except it's text messaging. You get a person's mobile phone number so you can send them coupons via text message. It's important for your customers to opt in via cellphone, as nearly everyone is using smartphones these days.
* Social media, specifically Facebook and Twitter: Unfortunately, most companies will set up a profile on Twitter and Facebook for no other reason than bragging rights. They have no clue how to actually use these tools, which is unfortunate because they are powerful.
You need to post updates on a regular basis, and you should avoid posting only promotional updates. Remember, people go on these sites to have fun, not to be sold to. If you're having trouble developing a social media strategy, look at the leaders in your niche and emulate what they're doing. Do they have a special "like-to-see" page on their Facebook fanpage? How often do they post updates on Twitter? What kind of content do they link to? What are their most popular updates? And so on.
* YouTube: You can use this website to host a video blog, which can act as a powerful sales tool and make you stand out by a mile from your competition. It lets your customers get to know you and your employees on a personal level, which will make them much more comfortable buying something from you.
* Blogging: It's a great way to let your customers know what goes on behind the scenes at your business, and to let them know if anything new is happening. You can do an FAQ, an interview with an industry leader and so on. The possibilities are endless.
So, of all these methods to stay in touch with your customers, which should you use? The answer is ... all of them. Using all of these platforms will ensure you maximize the exposure your messages receive, and they actually complement one another nicely.
Joshua Rigley is an online marketing consultant living in Layton. He can be reached at joshuarigley@gmail.com.
Comments