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 MARKETING TIPS FOR THE SERVICE INDUSTRY It is proven that in times of hardship successful companies do not abandon their marketing strategies they adapt them. Here is a quick guide to the things you can implement to make sure your business survives the recession. 1. The potential that lies in existing customers Your best immediate source of additional profits and increased business are your existing customers. These are the people you have already invested time, energy and money to create a relationship. It is usually between five to ten times easier to get an existing customer to buy from you again, than it is to get someone to buy from you for the first time. Prospects in particular are more likely to become customers if your marketing efforts are complimented by a recommendation from a friend or family member. TIP: You can encourage your existing customers to attract new customers for you by undertaking a ‘recommend a friend' as part of your promotional efforts. For example, you could send out an offer where your existing client and their friend will both receive a discount when they book a treatment together. 2. Developing a marketing strategy Growth has nothing to do with the size of your business. It's about how many customers and prospects you can market to. This is not the time to cut marketing spend. It is well documented that businesses who increase advertising during a recession, when competitors are cutting back, can improve market share at lower cost than during good economic times. You need to be aware that marketing efforts require careful planning and, in order for you to assess your return on investment and effectively plan future marketing, you must keep a record of the sales generated as a result of your campaigns. Try to set some time aside each week for brainstorming new ideas or calculating your business growth. TIP: There are, however, ways to market more cost effectively, perhaps by reducing your ad space or by sending out promotional SMS messages which reach customers cheaply, directly and quickly. 3. The power of the Internet Many businesses still do not collect the email addresses of everyone who contacts them. Every time a business fails to capture someone's email address, they're turning down the opportunity to contact them for FREE, for weeks, months and years ahead. Once you have Email Addresses – use them! Technology helps to simplify working life, yet many businesses are reluctant to adopt new forms of communication. Consider the impact of a website showing photos of all your best work, compared to a simple price list or leaflet. 4. Advertising It is essential that you measure the response to all of your advertising in order to evaluate whether or not it represented a viable investment and to shape your future investment decisions. It is worth asking how many people responded to your ad, how many of those were converted to a sale, what's that worth to you? Some practical advice: an attention grabbing headline is essential; one change in headline can produce a 50 to 100 percent increase in response. The ad itself needs to appeal directly to the interests of your target audience. People don't buy your product or service. They buy the benefits that your product or service offers them. They buy things and services that satisfy their wants or needs or solve their problems, so spend some time getting clear on what exactly your benefits are – and then make sure that you articulate them precisely in all of your communications. TIP: Research has shown that the effects of advertising are short lived. Therefore, in order to optimize your budget, it makes sense to spend smaller amounts very regularly. This will ensure that your business is consistently at the forefront of customer's minds. 5. Promotions Customers will be shopping around for the best deals. You do not necessarily have to cut list prices, but you may need to offer more temporary price promotions. Targeted and personalized promotions are more cost efficient than just sending out one generic campaign. Customers are sometimes skeptical of promotions so make sure you frame them appropriately, for example if there is a holiday make the promotion reflect the holiday. TIP: It is worth noting that discounts below 15 percent are often ineffective 6. Rewarding loyalty Start a loyalty program. The customer gets a good deal, you get a happy customer. Remember, people are more likely to buy from someone they like. A simple approach is to give clients a free treatment after they purchase a set number of treatments. Invite your regulars to try new products and treatments at a reduced cost. You could target this promotion based on a customer's purchase history. TIP: Customers can be dubious of sales offers so frame the offer as a "thank you" for their loyalty. ENTOMOLOGY CERTIFICATION BECOME AN ASSOCIATE CERTIFIED ENTOMOLOGIST! Training and testing for becoming an ACE with the Entomological Society of America is scheduled at Univar in Commerce AUGUST 29, 30. There may also be a future class in Sacramento. Contact Laurie Jo Jensen, BCE for information: laurie@bugwizzards.com, 949-412-8773 or http://www.bugwizzards.com/ |
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