CRM – Share some Love

A wise man in the office just said ‘The secret to advertising isn’t selling, it’s wooing.’ An off the cuff remark which sits perfectly with today’s blog which is all about Sharing the Love.

It’s that time of year again when Clients are looking to the next level of CRM activity and how customer communications can be improved. In marketing terms, April is the time for new resolutions, particularly as it’s the beginning of so many companies financial year. If you resolve nothing else, try at least to follow our 2012-13 resolution – we’re going to be showing our clients and contacts a little bit of love.

To this end we thought we’d share some of the things we’ve learned from years of developing successful campaigns for clients ranging from Salesforce to Monster to tell you what best practice you could employ in developing acquisition and retention campaigns which will woo your customers.

Everyone wants some help and insights into their life, whether they are searching for a job, partner, or perfect dessert. Share. Explain. Give them tips. Invest in your e-CRM and your customers will understand the value you have to add. There’s no shortage of things to talk about and as your user base should turnover relatively frequently it is possible to re-purpose content.

So here are 10 top tips for sharing the love and making sure you’re front of mind next time your customer is making a purchase decision:

1. Research is easy

It is such a competitive market out there seekers/customers are spoiled for choice. If they don’t know where to start they will, ask around, speak to friends and colleagues. Do some online research.  Make sure that any information out there is accurate and positive. Monitor customer feedback in forums and the Social Media. Make sure your customers are getting the right message about you.

2. It’s competitive

Brands are fighting for share of voice in a fragmented and increasingly highly targeted media space. Everyone is looking for ways to stand out. Don’t overdo it. Get the balance between quirky and interesting right otherwise you could come across as desperate and a little bit crazy.

3. Don’t compromise

There’s no such thing as making do anymore. With less disposable income, customers are increasingly discerning about what they spend it on. Even the smallest thing that isn’t quite right is unacceptable.  Make sure your product can stand up to trial by an exacting jury.

4. It’s an emotional roller-coaster

The search for perfection will be full of ups and downs. You might think an interview/date/sampling has gone really well only to find that weeks pass without you getting so much as a brief mention in passing. Try to stay optimistic and philosophical. Remember, you can’t be right for everyone. Be clear on your objectives – reach and interaction are an important part of long-term acquisition.

5. Invest Time

The more time you put into your planning the better result you’ll get. Get all your ducks in a row. From search returns via Google, to your elevator pitch, email campaigns to above the line activity make sure you’re telling the story you want your clients to hear. Don’t start any acquisition activity without doing this first.  Preparation is key.

6. Spell it out

Search
The great thing about technology is it can take out most of the hard work for you. To get the best out of it though you need to be tech-savvy. Search engines return results based on criteria entered into them. Think about descriptors your ideal employer or partner might use to search for someone like you and make sure you use them in your profile. Technology will not read between the lines.

Communications
Similarly, make sure you have a clear message and call to action in everything you say. Make sure your customers know who you are, what you do and why they should use you. Moreover if you’re engaging in any kind of communication activity make sure you give them a strong call to action. Whether that is to look for you in-store or search online it’s up to you. If you don’t spell it out though you’re passively talking into space.

7. Experience

Helps define who you are and what you want. Make the most of your own experience and make sure you’re completely aware of what you’re aiming for. Follow your instincts. Research can be invaluable, so many brands lose sight of their end user, make sure you get your customers to do some of the talking and listen to what they have to say.

8. First Impressions

We’ve all done it. The first 30 seconds of meeting someone when you subconsciously come to your crushing conclusions based on a conscious list of criteria. Take a look in the mirror. Make sure the impression you’re brand is portraying is truly representative of what you are trying to convey.  People will google you so make sure you’re online presence matches your shiny new brochure.

9. Don’t be desperate

Tone of voice is always key in communications. Overtly friendly or jovial can be misconstrued. Similarly jargon driven, corporate text can switch off. Don’t try and over impress, don’t try and make people like you. Give your brand its own voice and if you’ve got it right it will attract it’s own fans.

10. Add Value

And here it is. Share your knowledge with your customers. Give them the benefit of your experience. Let them know how you can help them make their lives better.

So whatever your objectives are remember, CRM is all about relationships. The clues are in the acronym. You get out of it what you put in. So a little bit of sparkle and an extra dollop of TLC will make sure your communications work that little bit harder.