It’s a highly competitive market out there, no matter what industry you’re in. Keeping your brand reputation strong and engaging is essential to maintaining a healthy customer base. But as with any prescribed plans, it’s just as important to avoid overdosing your ‘patients’.
A wholesome balance of direct communications mixed in with indirect online marketing strategy and informed business records is what’s required. It’s all about staying top-of-mind with past and potential customers, for the right reasons.
Below are five marketing methods I use to uphold a healthy brand regimen – a blended diet of voluntarily read online marketing content, direct customer communications, sales initiatives and accurate recordkeeping.
1. Online marketing – newsletters.
Newsletters are an ideal way to increase your brand reach while also promoting your knowledge and capabilities. Regularly delivering an online newsletter with free advice and updates keeps your business fresh in people’s minds. It also conveys your industry expertise.
- Add a newsletter subscription link to your website to extend your network.
2. Accurate customer records.
An up-to-date CRM system is a key contributor to regular and effective business communications. Consider collecting more personal details such as when your customer started in their business, or perhaps when their birthday is, so you can send well wishes.
Personalised communications will positively influence and grow your customers’ thought patterns.
An accurate CRM database will also come in handy for sending out direct mail outs to past and present customers. My brand strategy includes intermittent direct email updates to most of my CRM’ees. In addition to including links to my blogs, I list my most recent projects (minus any confidential information), which may trigger a need in others.
4. Online marketing – postings & blogs.
First work out which social media platforms are best for your business. Is your audience more likely to use Facebook or the more professional LinkedIn (or both)? Set a routine to post regularly, including a mix of article and blog links, as well as company news and updates.
- Link your blogs and articles back to your website, to encourage deeper brand engagement.
5. Call to action offers.
Consider making the occasional offer or discount to engage more customers (via online as well as direct marketing). For instance, the first 20 to purchase will receive 10% off the standard price. Although it doesn’t have to be a monetary discount – you could also offer, for instance, a free checklist.
Employing branding strategies like these means your business will likely be one of the first customers think of as a corresponding need arises. Consistent brand engagement via online and other marketing methodologies is a sure-fire remedy for the business blues.
Walton’s Words has extensive experience in designing and copywriting marketing content that addresses target audience needs and increases customer interactions. Drop us a line or give us a call if you have a marketing strategy in mind that you’d like to discuss further.
