The document discusses effective customer communication strategies tailored for small businesses in a tech-savvy world, emphasizing the importance of building personal brands and maintaining relationships with both existing and new customers. It outlines various marketing tools, including social media, email marketing, and direct mail, to enhance customer engagement while stressing that retaining existing customers is generally more economical than acquiring new ones. Additionally, it provides guidelines on crafting messages, using metrics to refine strategies, and the importance of consistent branding across communication channels.

1. “You Had Me At Hello”
Connecting With Customers in a Tech Savvy World
Presented by: Liz Provo
Mass Marketing Resources
www.massmarketingresources.com

2. Liz Provo
Mass Marketing
Resources
• Provider of marketing services
for small businesses
• Extensive background in sales,
marketing and customer service
• Small business owner for 11
years
• Early adopter of blogging, email
marketing & social media
• Member of HBRAWM since 2001

3. Communication in Business
 Creating your personal brand
 Recognizing, remembering
and rewarding existing
customers
 Building new relationships
based on trust
 Choosing the right
communication tools for your
demographic
 Social media – the ultimate
referral tool

4. You Are Your Brand
 What makes you YOU?
 What makes you different?
 What are your personal strengths?
 What are your biggest weaknesses?
 What are you most proud of?
 Who do you serve?
 How have you added value?
 How do others perceive you?
 Who is your ideal client?

5. Branding Your Business
 Also known as “good will”
expectations
 You do not OWN your brand
 You cannot CONTROL your
brand
 You CAN make sure all actions
align with your brand
 Your employees represent
your brand too!
Source: Owner Builder Custom Homes

6. Your Website:
Clear Communication Begins Here
Consistent colors, fonts, logo, content

7. Communication Materials
Stationary, cards, envelopes, postcards

8. Collateral Materials:
Brochures, Sell sheets, folders

9. Vehicles:
Wraps & Lettering

10. Signage:
Business location, on-site

11. Phone, Fax Email
 Voice mail message
 Professional
 Fax Cover
 Logo, links
 Email signature
 Logo, links

12. Only 2 Places To Look For
More Business
1. Existing customers
1. Already know you
2. Already trust you
3. Already bought from you
2. New customers
1. Cost 5 times more to acquire vs. retaining existing customers
2. May not know you
3. May not trust you
Truth is….you need both!

13. “Every sale has five
basic obstacles:
no need, no money,
no hurry, no desire,
no trust.”
~Zig Ziglar

14. How Do You Attract Customers?
 Website (HUB): Calls to action, FREE information, newsletter
signup, social media links, lead capture, customer expectations
 Directory Placements & Review Websites: Google Places, Referral
websites (ServiceMagic), Angies List, Manta, Yelp
 Social media
 Email Marketing
 Direct mail
 Paid advertising: Print, radio, TV, Internet We want your
business!
 Customer referrals
 Volunteerism, PR, networking

15. A Look At Existing Customers
 When was the last time you
communicated with your clients?
 What did you communicate?
 How did you communicate?
 Snail mail
 Email
 Newsletter (print or electronic)
 Phone
 In person
 How often do you reach out to your
customers?

16. Charting Your Demographics
 Databases: Customer records
& Reports: Quickbooks,
spreadsheets (Excel), CRM
(Customer Relations
Management) software, sales
data/invoices
 Website analytics: Google
Analytics
 Social media metrics:
Facebook Insights, YouTube
Analytics, LinkedIn Follower &
Page Insights

17. Your Communication Strategy –
Hit or miss, or well structured?
 Use data to develop
comprehensive strategy
 Focus on relationship
marketing
 Be pro-active – reach out –
7, 10 or more “touches”
 Use your marketing
calendar and editorial
calendar wisely

18. Crafting & Communicating Your
Message
Email
Marketing
Personal Email
Contact (Trad.)
Website
Phone Print
Social
Media

19. Social Media:
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube,
Pinterest, Blogs, Google+, etc.
 People trust their SM
friends to refer quality
brands
 SM is KEY to building
relationships & trust
today
 Should be linked from
website and each
platform
 Take SM “offline” for
personal contact

20. Print, Phone, Personal
Contact
 Print media – think
postcards, personal
note cards, good
presentation materials
 Personal phone calls
(not a sales calls) are
appreciated after a sale
 VALUE a client by
sending kudos, meeting
for coffee,
acknowledging them

21. Good Communication Takes
Time, Money, Energy & Effort…
Remember, on average,
it takes 7 touches for a
sale to occur.
• Some buy right away
• Others research and try
• Some show interest but
don’t trust you yet
How Do You Stay In Touch???

22. Email Marketing – The Glue
 People who WANT to receive
your message
 Permission-based
 Ties well with social media
and your website
 Share content seamlessly
 Instant communication
 Promote, educate, enlighten
 Low cost- high ROI

23. Provide Value To Your Audience

24. Determine Appropriate Format
Newsletters:
• Frequency: Regular i.e. monthly / weekly
• Educational content (typically non-promotional)
• Use bullets, summarize information, be concise
• Click-through to website for more info.
Promotions / Invitations / Surveys:
• Frequency: Depends on your business and sales cycle
• Focus on promotion / limited content
• Use content to invite click-through or other action
Announcements:
• Frequency: Event-driven
• Press releases, holiday greetings, thank you cards…
• Use content to build deeper relationships

25. Frequency & Delivery Time
How often to send
• Create a master schedule
• Include frequency in online sign-
up “Monthly Newsletter”
• Keep content concise
When to send
• Day of week (Tuesday &
Wednesday)
• Time of day (10am to 3pm)
• Send at different times and
compare results
Maximum impact with
minimum intrusion

26. Getting Email Opened
The “Subject” Line
 Keep it short and simple
 30-40 characters including spaces, (5-
8 words)
 Incorporate the immediate benefit of
opening the email
 Capitalize and punctuate carefully
 Avoid copying the techniques inherent
in spam emails (excessive punctuation,
symbols, guarantee, free, etc.)

27. Track Results & Improve Lists
 Monitor open rates, click through
rates
 Monitor bounce rates, spam alerts
 Remove non-existent addresses
 Check spellings of email addresses
for accuracy
 Make phone calls to assure
correctness

28. In Closing
 Create your personal brand
 Recognize, remember and
reward existing customers
 Build new relationships based
on trust
 Choose the right
communication tools for your
demographic
 Combine social media w/
email marketing for best
results

29. A Special Offer . . . . .
Return your completed form tonite to get started!
THANK YOU!