Creating a Culture of Communication in Marketing: Part I
November 20, 2008 by OneIMS · Leave a Comment
Your business, solutions and products are constantly being marketed even when you might not intentionally be trying to “make a sale”. Over the next few blogs, we’d like to take some time to comment on current communication trends, as well as suggest efficient communication techniques to enhance and solidify your marketing relationships.
Rather than having random methods of communication, creating a culture of communication will provide more effective results. Remember, successful marketing begins with you as a business owner. As first impressions do matter (despite what you might have heard), it’s imperative to maintain client-centered communication at all times.
Being client-centered includes any form of contact you have via e-mail, phone, in-person (face-to-face), and by means of company mail-outs, e-newsletters, text messages, etc. Here are a few basics to keep in mind:
Phone
- Note your tone of voice (especially when switching between clients).
- Be prompt when returning calls and messages.
- Reduce background noise!
- Stay attentive, especially when multi-tasking (people can tell if you’re chomping on food or clicking away on the computer).
E-mails
- Note tone of writing, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
- A note to those who can’t seem to tear themselves away from their Blackberrys and other web-ready phones; tired thumbs and mini keypads don’t excuse you from writing legibly!
- Elect to set a response window (i.e., Will respond within 24-48 hrs, etc.) so customers don’t expect you to respond as soon as they click “send” on their end. This gives you time to respond and assures them they haven’t been forgotten.
Stay tuned for techniques on communicating in challenging economic times.
Please contact OneIMS today at 1-888-ONE-IMS1, or send an e-mail to info@oneims.com and let us offer you additional, effective communication suggestions.
Database Management - Increasing the effectiveness of VDP
November 18, 2008 by OneIMS · Leave a Comment
A long-held truth amongst marketing professionals is that an accurate, clean, well-populated database of client info is key to connecting with your customers. This is especially true when it comes to utilizing variable data printing and personalized URL marketing. If you are looking at VDP and PURL you already know that every customer is different and you want to find a way to tailor your sales pitch as much as you can (we have explored in previous posts just how beneficial this area of marketing is). Database management will greatly increase the effectiveness of your project.
There are many creative ways to get customers to provide you with information - questionnaires combined with discount programs being the most obvious. But just as important as getting the data in the first place is keeping it clean, well-organized and understood. There are a myriad of behemoth databases out there (some belonging to top Fortune 500 companies) that sit semi-dormant because they are badly organized and the companies do not know how to mine the information. That results in sloppy marketing projects that don’t connect to the customer base in any sort of personal way.
Some keys to keeping your database well managed are:
- l dealing with data duplication (making sure the same information is not recurring in multiple places)
- l data formatting (good data is regularly lost in a database when it is not formatted correctly)
- l data accuracy (there are many publicly accessible databases - run by the postal service, among others - that can be used to keep the customer data you maintain fresh and correct)
There are other steps you can take to ensure the integrity of your data. Here at OneIMS we are able to provide you with an impressive stable of services. We believe that your marketing budget will be far better spent when your database is accurate, clean and well-populated.
For more information please go to www.oneimsdatagroup.com or www.oneims.com
Online Marketing 101: Create a Strong Call to Action
November 16, 2008 by OneIMS · Leave a Comment
What Is A Call to Action?
A call to action is simply a strategic communication in your marketing materials telling your customer what to do next. So many marketers create persuasive and alluring marketing materials, but forget to give interested parties a concrete method to move forward and make a purchase. Your call to action is the most important part of any marketing communication because it gives your customers the information they need to take advantage of your services.
Imagine The Questions and Provide Answers.
The best way to write a simple and effective call to action is to put yourself in the shoes of your customers. What questions will they have after hearing about your products and services? Here are some general questions that should be answered in any call to action:
- How do I contact this business? Can I contact them by telephone, email, fax, or through their website?
- Why should I choose this company? Will they save me money? Will they do the job better than the competition?
- Is there a deadline for me to contact this company so that I won’t miss out on any promotions or discounts?
With a strong call to action, your customers will not have to wonder how best to proceed if they want to take advantage of your services. A call to action translates directly into sales and satisfied business partnerships as potential customers effortlessly receive the information they need to contact you.
