Your customers are not numbers. They are living, breathing people – they may have just got a promotion at work or recovered from serious illness. They may be struggling with money worries, or working long hours.
With all this going on, how do you get people to listen to you? By making your marketing techniques engaging and compelling.
1. Time to get closer
Personalisation has long been a technique used in the direct marketing industry and has often been executed in an unsophisticated, heavy-handed way. When done properly, however, it puts the customer at the heart of the sales or communication process.
To do it properly you have to really know your audience.
2. Go in search of insight
Seek insight from as many sources as possible to help build a clear picture of your audience. Unless you deliver a niche product, you’ll almost certainly find you have more than one audience,
Enlist the help of your customer-facing teams and use them to tailor your brand.
3. Stand out from the crowd
Your customer should experience your brand in a way that sets it apart from the competition.
It could be detailed product knowledge, a dogged pursuit of crunch-busting offers or a family-friendly environment but whatever it is, find it and make yourself famous for it.
You don’t have to be the biggest or most profitable travel agent to be great at marketing. Out-think, out-smart, out-flank the competition and soon you could be the travel brand on everyone’s lips.
4. Keep it consistent
Experience is crucial to a customer coming back for more so align all your sales and communication channels to deliver the same brand identity.
That way your audience has a consistent experience through all their touchpoints – from the phone to online; from the high street shop to the email updates.
The marketing industry has long proven that a consistent strategy across all channels can dramatically improve marketing effectiveness – bring the same thinking to the way you run your brand.
5. The measure of your campaign
Try to measure your customers’ experiences. Marketing is built on measuring responses, whether that is a mail pack or viral campaign.
Your customer touchpoints provide an opportunity to measure and add value to that engagement.. For instance, when a customer visits your website or your shop open dialogue with them. Encourage them to tell you what they think about your service, or their holiday likes and dislikes.
This can help you personalise your relationship with them and measure the effectiveness of your marketing.
6. Do something wonderful
Never underestimate random acts of kindness. In a financially driven market generosity, dedication and enthusiasm can go a long way.
I remember a friend telling me a few years ago that she was desperately trying to find a flight for her family and friends to go to a wedding in Crete. No one could help or no one wanted to. She finally spoke to an agent who listened to her plight.
“Leave it with me,” said this helpful holiday angel. “I’ll get back to you first thing tomorrow morning.”
The next morning she called back. “I’ve done it! You’ve got your flight,” the agent exclaimed. Sarah has used this company every year since.
By Ian Bates
vhk7itjyi