Marketing to your existing customer base
Taking inventory. What kind 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 get organized and add clarity when developing a new base marketing strategy. Once your list is created, you can begin the process of determining what you want your customer base to know about your organization.
Data analysis. Pulling 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 on the customer record. If you don’t maintain a customer database, the process will be a bit more manual, but it’s worth the effort.
Data to consider in your analysis:
– Date of last contact.
– Last order. What did the customer buy?
– Notes in the account. Is there a reason why this customer has not been contacted?
Next, you’ll need to sort the data in a format that’s consistent, for example, sorted by product/service purchases, dates, or any other sorting method that makes sense for your campaign.
Get back in touch. If it’s been a while since the customer was contacted, you might 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 their contact information. This can be done in a very informal and non-intrusive way by informing the caller that you are calling to update their records.
If you choose to use email as a re-introduction method, use a campaign that informs the recipient of your intent…to get back in touch or another soft-sell technique. Genuine, personalized notes tend to work better than a hard-sell promotional type letter.
Types of customer base marketing strategies. There are various methods you can use to stay 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 tagline announcing new products, new awards, new acquisitions, or other news of this nature. This is a very subtle way of keeping your customers up to date.
– Use out of office replies to create a marketing message. Announce service changes, product launches, or upcoming events.
– Create a customer-oriented newsletter. Set up a schedule to automatically send 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 required by the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003.
Automated phone services
– Instead of music on hold, record a message announcing new products, services, and other updates the customer may be interested in learning about.
– Add a fax-on-demand option for customers who may be interested in learning more about a particular special offer 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 offer a way for interested parties to easily contact you.
– Conduct 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 have completed a session, ask for feedback. This will help you determine if the message was delivered with impact.
– Offer a referral fee or a search fee to your existing 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 strengthens your brand, and gains insight into what your customers think about your company and your products and/or or services. It’s a win-win situation, so why not get started today?