Why You Should Market to Clients

Marketing Campaign

Turn Your Thinking Inside Out

The First Step to Creating an Effective Marketing Plan

You will hear this part of the marketing message repeated and repeated. It will be repeated because it is so very IMPORTANT that you not only understand the concept but that you believe it, trust it and commit to implementing this concept. It is also imperative that when you return to your business, you create genuine enthusiasm for this concept in every single person that works with you or for you.

The most common mistake that business owners make is spending their marketing energy and marketing dollars on the wrong segment of the market. There are four market segments:

  • Suspects – The general public. People you don’t know. People who don’t know you. People out there in the great unknown.
  • Prospects – People in an area that you already serve. People that may have been identified as prospects through demographic research. This is still a group that you have not done any business with, but you have logical reasons to believe that they might choose your company if you place an effective message in front of them.
  • Customers – These people have done business with you. They have purchased as needed service or have bought your product on a less than consistent basis.
  • Priority Clients – These are the people who have relationships through agreements, contracts or give consistent referrals. They have service on a regular schedule. They would absolutely call you for service and they would certainly call you to provide new services or new products. You have established a relationship and maybe even a friendship with many of these clients.

Many business owners spend the majority of their marketing time and resources on marketing to Suspects. This is a mistake. It is sometimes referred to as shotgun marketing because you are just firing a scattered pattern and the odds of hitting anything are slim to none. The next largest use of time and money is often in the circle called prospects. This makes more sense because the target is closer. However, this is a group that requires significant effort and expense to reach. It requires research. It requires special lists. It requires testing numerous messages.

Sadly, customers and priority clients are often left out of the marketing plan entirely or, not much thought is placed on their needs! You should market to clients. By the time you complete this program, you will understand that you can market to these two groups with laser-like precision.

This model for the marketing plan is designed to create strong loyalty among your priority clients by acknowledging that they are the people who have gotten you where you are today. They are extremely important. Research clearly shows that the highest percentage of new profit is generated from people that are already your clients. Example: What happens when you make a small donation to a charity? Usually, you can expect more calls, letters, and requests for another donation. Why? Don’t they know you already gave? Of course they do. And they also know that no matter how small your donation was you are far more likely to give again than anyone who has never given. The psychology of this is really quite simple. If you have given in the past you have already bought into the idea that they are a good organization doing good work. Buy in and investment, regardless of the amount, results in a much higher percentage of response than marketing to any other group. That means that no matter how good the list of prospects is….it is not as good as the list you already have.

Should you value these priority clients? Do they KNOW that you value them? How do they know? You will be learning in depth about anniversary plans, loyalty plans, incentive plans, and specialized communications plans for these, your best clients. Your marketing plan will place its greatest emphasis on making the relationship with these clients one that keeps competitors outside of their circle of influence and creates a base for testimonials and referrals. You will also learn how small changes in the buying habits of this group can ensure that your income stream is steady. This can turn the traditionally bad months into steady income months and the months that are too hectic into months that are manageable. This obviously has implications in the areas of staffing, equipment purchases, and transportation.
Next week we will help you forge a marketing plan that will concentrate on moving customers to the priority client list.

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