I’ve noticed in a lot of our client talks lately that something is missing from the way companies communicate with their customers. That something is a customer strategy. An overarching customer strategy is necessary before a company can even consider sending email number one.
Here’s what I mean. Suppose a restaurant believes its overall strategy is to attract high-income families with a wide menu and excellent service. That restaurant would never allow a waiter to serve with dirty hands and a bad attitude. Yet, it may allow an email to go to customers with absolutely no knowledge of who the customer is and what that customer’s experience has been. Communication from the brand is very much a part of the customer experience. It needs to be an extension driven by following the details of the customer strategy. Companies need to know what they’re trying to do, why they’re trying to do it and how it translates into tactics.
Here’s three things to consider when crafting a customer strategy for email and other direct customer communications:
These three suggested steps are not a guarantee. Rather, they are actions to take your customer centric CRM program – or what ever name you may use – forward. Thinking about the customer and their relationship with the brand that includes email, is going to work for you. That’s a guarantee.
Here’s what I mean. Suppose a restaurant believes its overall strategy is to attract high-income families with a wide menu and excellent service. That restaurant would never allow a waiter to serve with dirty hands and a bad attitude. Yet, it may allow an email to go to customers with absolutely no knowledge of who the customer is and what that customer’s experience has been. Communication from the brand is very much a part of the customer experience. It needs to be an extension driven by following the details of the customer strategy. Companies need to know what they’re trying to do, why they’re trying to do it and how it translates into tactics.
Here’s three things to consider when crafting a customer strategy for email and other direct customer communications:
- Acquire customers with an explicit value exchange and promise. For different customers you have to extend different offers without violating the overall strategy. So if part of your strategy is to attract high-income families, make sure your offers are relevant. Discounts may not matter. But something as simple as a family night that offers special desserts for the kids just might make all the difference between a good customer and a highly valuable customer. It depends on the value being promised.
- Engage by following thru with promise. Customer service and experience should be part of any overall strategy but it often gets left behind when it comes to email. When the restaurant promises great service, and then attracts customers to experience it, it can’t just email them with an offer to come again. Send them and an email asking for them to rate that customer service.
- Learn from your interactions. Email is among the most measureable marketing tools in the kit. But companies don’t use it. One of the best measures of business success is when customers show repeat behavior, but that doesn’t apply to email. Just because a customer opens an email tomorrow doesn’t mean next week’s email means anything. A company has to learn what the customer wants and know what will get them to take the next step. Think beyond opening the email.
These three suggested steps are not a guarantee. Rather, they are actions to take your customer centric CRM program – or what ever name you may use – forward. Thinking about the customer and their relationship with the brand that includes email, is going to work for you. That’s a guarantee.
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