Marketing is all about creating awareness. Businesses create awareness
in hopes that customers will buy from them. They also create awareness so that
existing and repeat customers will refer the business to others seeking the
same services. In this sense, we like to think that our marketing is proactive.
It is about keeping your company in customers’ minds.
Promote the possibilities
I buy a lot of merchandise online. I do it because it is easy, I get
perks for buying things I would have purchased anyway, I live on the third
floor and the UPS delivery person gets to do all my heavy lifting, and I
don’t have a truck so the home delivery is convenient.
If I buy online that means I get notices about upcoming sales, limited
time offers and promotional codes. To be honest, I receive these offers a lot.
Companies do their best to make sure I know what’s coming well in advance
of special sales and they are not shy about reminding me about savings
opportunity every day until the sale is over or the offer is up. Great
marketing, right? Yes, but guess what else they do? They work me just as hard
when I have missed an opportunity.
React and remind
Shortly after a sale online has ended, I will receive an e-mail that
politely reminds me that I have passed up the opportunity of a lifetime. Why?
Companies do this to convince consumers not to repeat this mistake the next
time.
What is your missed opportunity marketing strategy? Are you hosting a
course for physical therapists? Did you let everyone know well in advance? Did
you send out mailers and post it on your facebook page? Did you e-mail possible
attendees? Well, once the course is complete, you will know exactly who was
there and you know exactly who was not.
 |
|
| © 2010 iStockphoto.com/Eric Hood |
What is your post-course marketing plan? Contact everyone who attended.
Thank them for coming and let them know when your next event will be. Contact
everyone who did not come and explain how much you missed them. Give them the
highlights of what they missed – pictures are especially effective–
and let them know that you would love to see them at your next event and make
sure you let them know when it will be.
Perhaps you are working on the manufacturing side. Having a sale or
promotion? Sure you want to let everyone know all about it before so they can
actually buy the items when they are on sale but do not miss the opportunity to
let them know they missed out on an opportunity if they choose not to buy. Send
a postcard or include a reminder in your e-mail newsletter. Make sure they know
that they missed out.
It is good to be proactive. But there is also something to be said for
adding a little reaction to your marketing plan.
|
