#branding #marketing #testimonials #referrals #rodhastiehowickoptometrist #positivereview
Earlier this month we spoke about brand and marketing and that they are both important in our businesses. It got me thinking about what lengths we go to as business owners, to make our business stand out from the rest! What are you doing to make your business stand out? How do you know that you are reaching your customers?
The other day, my dad – you may remember him from our first webinar – received a lovely testimonial from a client! I think it is the highest compliment when a client takes to social media to recommend you on an outstanding experience. Not only was it a positive recommendation, but it was posted on several local social media community pages. This client went out of her way to post feedback about her experience at his business. This sparked several comments and other clients wholeheartedly agreeing and adding their own positive words.
This example has several points for us to consider:
Rod is in the service industry and thus it is critical that his service levels are consistently high. Every client who comes into his practice, needs to experience the same type of service excellence, at each stage of the journey with him. From something as simple as booking an appointment, to the eye examination, the handling of expenses and payment, to finally receiving their new spectacles. Rod has worked extremely hard to create the best “No Rush” customer experience in his practice, so this testimonial is a tribute to a job well done. The trick now is for him to maintain his level of service excellence and meet the expectations of each customer coming into his practice.
In order to do this, he must have a plan! A calculated “dance” that needs to be performed for each transaction that occurs. The steps to this dance need to be recorded and learned, practiced and perfected. His staff also need to learn the steps to their parts of the dance. Without these standards, processes and systems in place to ensure that the dance looks spectacular each time it is performed, the customer experience of service excellence cannot be ensured. And no amount of advertising or marketing of his practice is going to make any difference to Rod’s goal to build a strong practice with customers who return again and again.
Think about what you are doing to build your business! How much time are you spending on marketing, promoting, building and developing your business?
Are you the business owner who is super busy on social media – posting madly on several social platforms? The questions we should be asking:
- are we posting the right message to engage with our ideal customers and
- are we posting on the correct platforms?
Are you the business owner focused on playing it safe? Doing marketing the same way it’s always been done? Advertising in newspapers, magazines, trade journals, or printing fliers to hand out. This is great but it covers such a wide audience that you can never be sure if you are catching the eye of your ideal customer.
Are you the business owner who focuses on the products and accessories that go along with it.
A large array of products reflects some thought into what else a client may need – like when you walk into a tile store. They don’t just sell tiles to tile your kitchen, bathroom or floors. They keep a large selection of complimentary items such as the tile glue, the grout, the tools for the job as well as several other items that would be used in a bathroom or kitchen. Thus, creating several reasons for the “tile customer” to return to their store. This is great, for the customers who do find your store and can benefit from your foresight.
At the end of the day, each of these areas are vital in the customer journey with your business. But for each of them to be successful, they need to form part of a bigger plan! Even a simple 3-step plan is better than no plan. Trying to perform that beautiful dance without the music or knowing the steps or understanding the story behind the dance, is surely a recipe for a lot of laughs, but not much dancing!
What is the dance in your business strategy? If you need some guidance or help learning the steps of the dance before its time to hit the dancefloor, why not give me a call! Having someone to observe and give you feedback can make all the difference – don’t just think about it, do it!
#standoutfromthecrowd
Chat soon
Candice
