Have you ever seen a company just flood their media vehicles with coupons and deals? Possibly you have used this method yourself. Doesn’t that get annoying and leave you feeling exacerbated? Then those companies ask dumb questions like, “why is this not working!?”
Your businesses success is going to be heavily determined on how well you segment your advertising within the Buyer Lifecycle Stages. Do you think that someone is going to click on your “BUY NOW” ad when they have no idea who or what your company is? Maybe 1 out of a 1,000,000…so you’re saying there’s a chance! (Dumb and Dumber reference if you didn’t get that.) Do you really want to base your success on those odds? Maybe if you’re Lloyd Christmas.
Would you ever go up to someone you thought was cute and say, “Will you MARRY me?!” For those sound of mind, absolutely not. And it is for this same reason why one should not abruptly ask someone that has no knowledge of who they are to buy their product or service. First one needs to figure out a creative way to make an introduction… just like you would with that cute girl or guy you want to talk to. Some say that first impressions aren’t everything, but that is so WRONG! FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE EVERYTHING!
AWARENESS – Let’s get their attention
How do you get someone to notice you without being too upfront or pushy? You want to give them content that they are interested in reading or learning about. A good place to start, is with blogs and stories. If you have knowledge about your product or service…write about it, and write well. Maybe write a “How to,” or “3 Reasons Why” blog. This is a way to drive people to your site with content they are interested in reading.
ENGAGEMENT – Oh, You like me? Let’s talk
In today’s digital world, there is a lot of different ways to communicate in order to effectively get your message out there to potential customers. Driving people to your site is the first step, but is your content/look and feel of your site keeping their attention and making them feel like they want to stay awhile? If so, congratulations! You now have people engaging with your content. Statistics show, if you engage them, they are now 566 percent more likely to convert! Don’t forget to give them the option to comment on your blogs and encourage feedback and shares on Social Media.
CONVERT – Now that I have your attention, can I get those digits?
You have now sparked up an interesting conversion with that cute girl/guy you like, but how do you ask them for their contact information without being too forward? It just can’t end here!
If you don’t get it by now, I am using a relationship scenario to show you the importance of getting your potential customer’s contact info and how to close the sale. My first tip is, if you want something from them, give them something in return. This could be a call to action to sign up for your newsletter, a free E-book or an awesome 10% off coupon! If they have not already purchased your product or service because of your awesome brand and content, now you have a way to persuade them with special promotion emails, texts and remarketing. You should learn about the difference between qualitative vs quantitative research in order to understand your customer better.
Now you know and have the tools to become an expert in utilizing the Buyer Lifecycle Stages!
ADVOCATE – Create Customer Loyalty and Advocates
You followed the Buyer Lifecycle Stages and you now have a new customer! Now what? Do you just forget about them and pat yourself on the back? NO WAY! This is where you need to call your new girlfriend or boyfriend and tell them how much you love them and want to spend time with them. What happens to your new relationship if she or he finally says they will go out with you and then you never talk to them again? I am guessing that they will most likely find someone new that will invest in their relationship; someone who knows how to treat them.
Spend a big part of your time and energy on your new customers because retention and customer loyalty is going to be the success of your company. There is a marketing term that has been proven over and over again to be true. This is called the 80/20 Rule. This means that 80% of your business will come from your top 20% percent of loyal customers. Word of mouth from satisfied customers that have been genuinely taken care of, is truly priceless and offers limitless potential for growth. It is in your best and long-term interest to invest in these business relationships with more than just initial contact.
In addition, take the initiative to create whole campaigns targeted around your current customers and encourage them to become promoters! A very wise marketing women once told me, “If you don’t ask, you don’t get.” Ask your customers to help you out by sharing your content. They will be more than happy to if they are loyal customers and will be the best advocates you could ever have! You can even provide incentive and create referral programs.