Embrace feel-good marketing
Many of our businesses are now open and trading again but the economy is going to be challenging for quite some time. That is why it’s critical to create loyal customers who spend money regularly and recommend your business to many of the people they know.
Loyal customers will keep many businesses going during the challenging times ahead.
So how do you create them?
One strategy you might like to try is what I call ‘‘feel-good marketing’’.
This just means you do things that make people feel good when they interact with your business.
Here are four examples to get you thinking.
Positive words
I bought a duvet for my bed from a shop that sold bedroom furniture and linen.
As I paid for it, the sales lady who served me stopped and carefully passed me the duvet.
‘‘This is one of the most popular duvets we sell,’’ she said.
‘‘You will sleep like a baby with it. Thank you for your business.’’
This made a big impression on me as I was told I had made a good purchase and thanked for my business.
I felt great about my purchase and valued as a customer.
Thank you
I bought a new car from a car dealership many years ago.
Three weeks after my purchase, I got a letter in the mail and a free double movie pass. The letter thanked me for my business and told me that they were giving me this double movie pass to say thank you.
I was amazed at this unexpected gift.
I told hundreds of business people about my delightful experience and during the next five years bought a further two cars from this firm.
Unexpected gift
I was in Gates Eyewear in Newmarket a while back to get some extra lenses for a pair of cycling sunglasses.
I found what I was looking for and handed over my money.
The owner, Jeremy Wong, was serving me and said: ‘‘Graham you are a valued customer, so there is no charge for these extra lenses.’’
I felt very special because these lenses had a retail value of $100 and I was given them at no charge.
Offer of help
In March 2012, I had a major accident on my bicycle after coming off at high speed while going down a hill. I broke several bones, including four ribs, my collarbone, and my shoulder blade, and I was off work for weeks while I mended.
Luckily, I made a full recovery with no longterm injuries.
Before my cycling accident, I had the opportunity to meet with Paul Vujnovich, the owner of Harvey’s Real Estate on the Te Atatu Peninsula in Auckland, one of the most successful residential real estate businesses in the country.
When he heard about my accident, he phoned me, offering assistance.
‘‘Graham what can I do to help you? Can I drive you anywhere, pick up anything for you? What do you need help with?’’
I was shocked at this because I knew how busy Vujnovich was, and I was not someone he had known for a long time.
Despite this, he went out of his way to be nice to me, which made me feel valued and special.
I am convinced that this attitude of looking for ways to help people and be kind to them is a key factor in the amazing success of Vujnovich’s real estate business.
The common denominator in all these examples is that I felt good when interacting with each business and as a result of feeling good in each interaction I’ve remembered each business positively for a long time afterwards – and recommended them to many of the people I know as well.
Feel-good marketing is a simple way to create loyal customers for many businesses and is well worth trying in your business as well.
Just look at how you interact with customers and potential customers in your business. Both before, during and after they buy from you.
Come up with simple ways to make people feel good in those interactions.
Graham McGregor is a marketing adviser. You can get his free 129-page marketing guide ‘‘The Plan B Sales Solution’’ at simplemarketinganswers.com.
It’s critical to create loyal customers who spend money regularly and recommend your business to many of the people they know.