Customizing your marketing and sales promotions may fall under sales or marketing, but I think it also belongs in service. Anytime you can increase value and make the buying experience better for a customer, you are delivering a better level of service.
Customizing your marketing and sales promotions may fall under sales or marketing, but I think it also belongs in service. Anytime you can increase value and make the buying experience better for a customer, you are delivering a better level of service. When you customize or personalize the experience, even during the sales process, you are doing just that.
Retail giant, Target, now has on-line promotions that are customized to each customer’s interests. They recognize that customers are bombarded with email advertisements.
They ask their customers to take just a few moments to tell them which information and promotions would interest them.
Once they know, Target will only send on-line promotions that are specific to that customer’s interest. This can be described in one word: personalization. And since the customers design their own promotion experience, they are more likely to pay attention to them when they come across their computer screens.
Most of the readers of this newsletter aren’t in the on-line retail business. Still, this concept works. Some of you already know (specifically) what your customers buy and are interested in. So, take the time to design a customized promotion. Call them, mail them, etc. Just let them know it was a promotion designed just for them. It’s all about creating value.
BOOK RECOMMENDATION:
Switched-On Selling by Jerry Teplitz and Tony Alessandra officially comes out today. Visit their website to find out more about the book. They are offering some very nice bonuses for purchasing the book through Amazon.com. I’ve known both authors for a long time, and they know about sales. Jerry has a very scientific approach to re-educating your selling brain while Tony shares his proven sales techniques and strategies (he’s written 20 books). It’s a powerful combination that, as the authors say, will immediately switch you on!
Past articles from Shep are available by visiting http://www.hyken.com or http://www.TheCustomerFocus.com
Shep Hyken works with companies who want to build loyal relationships with their customers and employees.
Copyright 2010 by Shep Hyken. Used with permission.