Sales and Marketing Tactics You’re Not Using but Should Be

Yoel Feldman

When it comes to sales and marketing, there is no shortage of strategies and tactics to choose from, and not every tactic is right for every business. However, it is all too easy to fall into a marketing rut, relying on the same tactics month after month and even year after year. You might think, “if it ain’t broken why fix it?” but this is a mindset that will never bring your business the growth that it needs to reach its full potential. So to help you get out of your marketing rut, here is our list of tactics that many businesses are still not using, but really should be.

Text Messaging

Go beyond the SMS blast of announcements for sales or events and create a two way street with your customer via text messages. For example, the other day, I received a text message from the chain that I buy my dog food from. The message said that they noticed I hadn’t ordered any food in a few weeks and did I want to do so? I realized I actually did and responded as much and by the end of the day the food had been delivered. This is a great example of implementing responsive text messaging to prompt customers to remember your shop and how easy it is to purchase with you.

Make a Phone Call

So you’ve made a sale, your product has been delivered, and you are wondering what the customer thinks. There is no excuse for complacency in this matter. Pick up the phone and call and ask them! Particularly because it’s a method of communication that people are using less and less often, a friendly phone call where you show that you care about your business and your products can make a deep lasting impression. It also reminds your customer that your business is made up of real people who care about their satisfaction.

Give Something, Get Something Plans

In a recent study, 90% of consumers report that they most trust their friends and colleagues for purchasing recommendations while different kinds of advertisements netted only 24%-40%. Clearly, your biggest asset is your happy customers, and a loyalty program that encourages happy customers to make a purchase or refer your business to others in order to get some kind of reward only increases the likelihood of them becoming brand ambassadors for your business. For example, popular apps like Uber and Gett offer users discounts every time a new customer uses their unique code. This encourages happy users to spread the word about the app and encourage people to not just download it, but actually use it so that they can get their discount.

Video Chat and Showrooms

Your support staff’s time is critical, so many businesses shy away from implementing video chat and showroom tech, which can be time consuming. However, a little bit of extra effort in demonstrating why your product is excellent can pay off with big returns. Remember, every new customer is a potential returning customer, and according to a new book about customer loyalty, a 5% increase in retention can lead to a 25-100% increase in profit. Clearly, a little extra effort can go a long way.

Concierge Service

If you are a luxury brand, especially, your customers have a higher level of expectation for personal attention, and delivering that personal attention can significantly set you apart from the crowd. Consider offering personal shopper or concierge services for your customers either for a premium or to those who spend at least a certain amount.

Tell Your Story

The About Us page is not just filler for your website, it is a major opportunity to create an emotional connection between your customer and your brand. Don’t give a generic ‘who we are’ page, tell the story of how your business came to be and what it means to you and the other people who are part of your team. Get browsers invested in your success and they are more likely to invest in your product.

Go Beyond Business Hours

During business hours, most of your customers are at work. It is when they get home and they realize they need help with something that they are going to want to contact you, and when they realize they can’t they are more likely to get frustrated. Build a better relationship with your customers and offer something most of the competition isn’t by providing after-hours customer service and touting it as proof that you put your customers first.

Create a Subscription Plan

Pay $1 and get a new razor every month. Seems too simple to work right? However, Dollar Shave Club remains today one of the biggest success stories in the subscription business world. If you sell a product that people might need to replenish, whether it’s food, toiletries, coffee or anything else, create a subscription plan that hits the sweet spot for your customers’ needs and you will boost both your profits and your customers’ loyalty.
Email marketing and advertising are every business’ bread and butter, but there is a whole world out there of creative and innovative marketing ideas that you are missing out on if that’s all you do. Think outside the box and make your next marketing tactic something memorable.


The author is Chief Operating Officer of Proonto, a new partner of Trellis. Proonto enables you to provide your customers with a premium-level personal shopping experience without paying a premium price. If your business is looking to gain more leads and make more sales from your website while offering a higher level of customer support, contact Proonto or check out their website to see their tools for sparking personalized sales interactions.
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