Turning Customers into Brand Ambassadors

No doubt, you've heard the stories of businesses that Go Above & Beyond for their customers -- handwritten follow-up notes, baked cookies, even gifts at the end of a long airplane ride!

There's a terrific MarketingProfs article about customer relationship initiatives (you can read it here). The author, Brandon Sawalich, points out the key to a good relationship is day-in, day-out engagement.

You've offered either a positive one-on-one experience or some sort of event; now, how do you keep the momentum going.  And, do it cost-effectively, day-in/day-out?

The customer experience doesn't need "big bang" moments all the time...but it does require an ongoing focus on the customer. 

Take a look at the CPS-designed Whole Foods Customer Comment Board image to the right. It solicits comments from customers -- about anything. Store personnel responses are published back to the Board. The Board provides for proactive customer service and the process effectively addresses the 5 key elements of positive engagement mentioned in Sawalich's article:

Listen -- How do you know what your customers want and need? Ask; then listen to the answers.

Engage -- Respond to their answers to #1.  An added bonus: doing it in an inviting manner.

Take initiative -- Anticipate your customer's needs.  Don't you love the businesses that provide an at-the-door umbrella stand when it's pouring rain? Or, the misters keeping you cool at the outdoor restaurant? Whole Foods publishes Weekly Specials on the Board -- as well as a Store Event Calendar. Customers know they can find the latest as soon as they walk in the store.

Personalize -- That's the human touch reaching out to the individual consumer. It doesn't have to be major: address them by name in your follow-up, keep notes in their customer file so you can customize your conversation. The Whole Foods Board encourages shoppers to reach out and thank store employees, by name, for outstanding service.

Get your employees on board -- Sawalich reminds us: you need employees who are willing to go the extra mile. And, encouraging that behavior needs to be something you do everyday.

Big events are great; Sawalich reminds us that "little things" ensure your customers get a consistent, high-quality experience -- and that motivates them to keep coming back for more! 

CRM 2.0: Helping Homebuilder Agents Become Better Salespeople

No doubt you've heard the expression, "Now, there is a born salesperson!"

Have you really thought about that statement? Who really is born a sales person?  Or, an engineer, software developer or nurse, for that matter?  From a practical standpoint, people are born; everything after that, it can be argued, is based upon learning and choices.

Robert Clay, in his Marketing Wizdom blog, suggests that, while everyone utilizes selling skills in one way or another, very few salespeople have had formal training in selling technique or strategy.  And, too much of even formal training, he feels, is merely passing information from one person to another in a corporate setting.  Clay goes on to say, "Effective selling is not just a matter of a sales spiel, having the gift of gabor or using manipulative techniques."

Rather, Clay says, "Effective selling is a process of leading, guiding, educating and directing your buyers."  And, that's where an effective CRM system helps!

How can your sales agents lead, guide, educate or direct without some form of organization?  How can they keep track of who received a follow-up phone call or wanted more information about the school district?  And, the effective salesperson knows each prospect's needs and wants -- but very few can remember all of them after a day or two -- or, more importantly, a month!

CRM can bring organization and consistency to not only an organization -- but every participating salesperson.  It will help your agents communicate with prospects, nurture them, identify the best prospects and provide ongoing information oriented towards making a purchase decision.

Interested in how your agents can become better salespeople and increase sales?  We'd be happy to demo CRM 2.0 and talk about the power of the process!