Think about a catch-up conversation with a good friend. You talk about your kids, what they are involved in and other goings on in each of your households.
Yet, when we have conversations with our customers or prospective clients, it is oftentimes a one-sided, impersonal sales pitch aimed at increasing our business’ bottom line. We send email blasts out when we have something new to sell or are looking to drum up more business.
How would your friends feel if you only called or visited when you needed them to buy something?
As the multi-hat wearing small business owner, we sometimes forget that our customers don’t buy from businesses, they buy from people.
While sales are important to the growth of any business, building relationships with your customers is even more so.
Take time to tell what’s happening with you and your business. Are you involved in a career enrichment program? Collecting coats for a local charity? Sponsoring a youth sports team? Let your customers know. They patronize your business because they value the relationship they have with you. Share how they can help and how your news benefits them.
Communicate happenings with newsletters, either in print or digital format on a regular basis. Setting a schedule will help keep blog and article creation in the front of your mind, instead of on the back burner. If it makes sense, consider creating a quarterly print newsletter and/or a monthly or bi-monthly email newsletter.
Share useful tips in your communications with customers. How can your insight improve their life or business? If time management is your forte, sharing actionable tips on how people can be more productive at work or while planning for the holidays could be a useful blog or article. It’s also another way to create greater value for your products or services.
Tip: Before sending out an email blast or planning on a 12-page newsletter, be sure you have good quality content to share. Your customers are busy people (as we all are) and you don’t want to inundate them with unwanted spam. Think about your friends, would you call someone and have nothing to say?
Are you already using these telling versus selling tactics in your small business marketing? Tell us what works for you!
