(And yes, this is really my best friend, Jack)
Dogs are considered man’s best friend for a reason. We share very similar characteristics and social behaviors. At least I do with my best friend Jack. With this in mind, I was sitting outside on my back porch, when the thought occurred to me, “How can I help people understand how to stay on top of their marketing strategy and game plan?” The light bulb went off when Jack was sitting in front of me constantly looking around and my other dog, April, came barreling towards him and just before she was about to topple him, he moved out of the way. Leading to my first point:
1. Duck & Dodge
Similarly, you need to stay on your toes and be ready for anything:
What does your heat map look like?
Are you testing your sales funnel?
What parts of your website are working?
What are people doing after they land on a certain page?
Always be on the look out for what is coming. Changes in seasonal trends, changes in consumer behavior, shifts in marketing trends and channels. Don’t get stuck utilizing just one form of advertising. When you do, you’ll get barreled over by your competition who is getting in front of your customers and not you.
2. Do Something Different & Out-of-the-Box
As business owners we can become complacent with what has worked for us. However, if you are standing still, you are getting left behind. This changes doesn’t happen over night either. Like April when she is stalking Jack, shifts in marketing creep up on you over time and distance. Sometimes you can catch it before it bites, but most business owners don’t see it coming and get bit- hard. The loses in revenue and new clients can be avoided if you stay on top of your marketing and understand what your consumers want TODAY, not 10 years ago.
3. Who Doesn’t Like a Treat?
My dogs are spoiled. I mean spoon fed spoiled. (Mostly by my wife) But my dogs have learned over time that when we sit down to eat dinner, they know they are always going to get some form of a leftover either during or after we eat. As a result, they always seem to look their saddest, act the sweetest, and happen to be in the right spot at the right time.
The point is simple, they like to be rewarded.
Reward your customers. Tell them you appreciate you them. Let your customers know that you believe in them and that you think they are special. Give bonuses to your existing customers, and offer high value to new customers.
I promise if you do, they will reward you back with their business. Just like my dogs reward us with good behavior and a little extra love at dinner time.
4. Be Direct & Communicative
Most dogs understand many single words and have a large vocabulary, but don’t understand long drawn out sentences. People are mostly the same way. They need clear, concise information that they act upon quickly. Information is being delivered to us on an unprecedented scale. So much so, that traditional forms of adverting have become less effective because of the “clutter”.
Ask your customers to do or ask for one thing. This is called a “call to action”. Examples include call now, message us, sign up, visit us, and etc. Here’s a more exact example: creating an effective marketing/ sales funnel involves sending your customers somewhere so you can “capture” either them or their information. The customers are more likely to give that info up when there is only one thing to do versus having 20 different options on your landing page. Your customers get distracted, just like my dogs do when I try to them to do more than action at a time.
Like the relationship between you and your dog, you learn as you go. Don’t sit back on your hunches, 20 years in business, or know it all mentality. If you do, your customers will pass you by. Just like you constantly learn your craft, understand the changes in marketing and how consumers digest information.
First Tip: Understand the importance and thought process of Millennials. They are about to make up the largest customer target segment.
If you need help with this, don’t hesitate to send us a message or drop us an email, info@emsbusinessconsulting.com
