Every interaction you, your staff, and your business has with a prospect or customer is a marketing opportunity.
Like it or not – whether you pay attention to it or not – during every interaction with your company, your consumers are getting an impression of you. The only question is: What kind of impression are you making with each marketing opportunity? Are you making an impression that compels people to buy from you even if you’re more expensive? Or are you merely impressing upon them that you are no different than your competition?
Over the last several columns I outlined the ultimate floor marketing system which consists of three keys: before, during and after. Let’s look at how the “Marketing is everything” principle applies to each.
Before
Before is your marketing efforts to attract new customers before they purchase from you. When most dealers think about attracting new customers, they think about website, TV, radio, pay-per-click, social media, etc. That’s true, but it’s incomplete. Here are some other considerations:
How does your phone get answered? I’ve called a lot of dealers and had the name of the business grunted at me by the person answering the call. Not very welcoming. That is a huge missed marketing opportunity. Make sure your phones are answered in such a way that people feel welcome, and in such a way that it creates differentiation from your competition.
What does the outside of your building look like? Is it clean? Is the paint peeling? Is your signage clean and free of cobwebs? Are your windows sparkling?
Are your business vehicles clean? Do they look like rust-rockets?
During
During is what you do during the sales process to create differentiation, position yourself as a trusted authority, and close more sales.
When a consumer walks into a flooring store too many dealers think only of the sales process itself. Yes, that’s vitally important, but there are other things to consider:
Is your showroom clean? Have you curated your products, or is it so jammed with samples people can hardly navigate?
Testimonials. Do you have testimonials from happy customers in your showroom where walk-ins can see them? Do you have display monitors showing before and after photos of installations?
Are your restrooms clean? Do they look like an interior designer decorated them? Or do they look more like a gas station restroom?
Do you show hospitality to walk-ins? Do you provide them with a beverage menu with different drink options? Do you put cookies or fresh bread out front?
Do you conduct a full diagnostic while in the customer’s home? Do you wear shoe-covers? Do you inspect your customer’s vacuum, walk-off mats, and floor-cleaning products? Do you give her written recommendations on getting the longest life possible out of her floors?
After
After is what you do after the installation is complete to create a stream of repeat and referral business.
Do you communicate with your past customers? Do you send out a monthly printed newsletter? Do you send them a weekly e-newsletter? Do you follow the 90/10 formula in your past customer communications? (90% fun, informative, welcome, entertaining communication. Only 10% about flooring.)
Do you have a referral program? Do you reward and thank customers for their referrals? Do you educate your customers about your referral program?
Do you have customer appreciation events? Do you have an annual Christmas party? A Fourth-of-July bar-b-que in your parking lot or at a local park?
If every month you implemented one of these strategies, in under a year you’d have them all in place, and you’d create a massive advantage in your market.
To Tons Of Customers!
Jim Augustus Armstrong is The “Coach”
Jim Augustus Armstrong is the President of Flooring Success Systems, a program that equips dealers to double their profits, cut their work hours in half and beat the boxes! Many dealers have totally transformed their businesses and their lives for the better after joining Flooring Success Systems.
See what real, live dealers are saying!