As I continue to present what I consider to be the essential rules for business owners who want to market themselves effectively, based upon The 16 Monumental Secrets of Guerilla Marketing presented by Jay Conrad Levinson in his national bestseller Guerilla Marketing, the next principle is convenience. To me, this principle is two-fold: 1. The type of marketing you utilize should be easily accessible to your audience, and convenient for them to not only absorb your message but to act on it; and 2. Customer service is a major force in return business, and your customers need to know the ways in which you go above and beyond not only in your offerings and expertise but also the level of convenience you provide.
Effective marketing means you are getting your message to your target market where they are most likely to see or be exposed to it—where, when, and how it is most convenient (all while being the least annoying). Factoring this aspect into your marketing plan will allow you to choose the methods that will compliment your strategy best. Also, if it’s convenient and has a long shelf life and/or is continuous in nature, more people will be exposed to your message and the higher your top of mind awareness.
To stay competitive in our current marketplace, you’ve likely incorporated many extra conveniences for your customers already. Using his client as an example, Levinson explains the many ways she’s incorporated convenience into her business:
“Her store is known as a very convenient place for buying. It’s open seven days a week. Hours are extended for the convenience of her customers – not for her own convenience. She has a fascinating website. She accepts every credit card under the sun. She takes checks, arranges partial-payment plans, delivers, installs, and is accessible twenty-four hours a day via voicemail, e-mail and fax. And parking is convenient.”
Because of this convenience, she is able to place a fence around her customers and also set premium pricing.
This probably sounds similar to many of your existing offerings, as convenience is definitely one of the ways we set ourselves apart from our competition. Historically convenience has always been a driving force in sales and in 2015, successful businesses are those that truly cater to their clientele in any way that they can. Therefore, it is important to let your customers know all of the convenience options that you are offering to make their lives easier. This appreciation will translate into more sales as well as increased positive “word of mouth” dialogue and interactions. When someone thinks of your business, they know that you are the person they want to call and they have no doubt that you will be there to help when they do. So why wouldn’t you want this factor to be one of the pillars of your marketing plan?
You may have a lot of things that you want to highlight in your marketing campaign, but it is greatly beneficial to touch on all of the conveniences you bring to the table. It’s a fast-paced world out there, and seamless solutions coupled with a high level of customer service is important to us all…and therefore crucial to your sales, so make sure you have convenience as part of your marketing plan and possibly even part of your unique selling proposition—and then tell the world!
by Paige Zutavern
Lincoln/Omaha – President
402-730-0096