On Target Group Coaching for

Painting Contractors

August 7, 2014

Group Discussion/Check In

Creating a Customer

Communications Plan

On Target Group Coaching

The Gold in Your Database

Steps to developing and implementing a CRM strategy

Creating a communications plan for staying in touch with your customers, prospects and referral partners

What is CRM? CRM = Customer Relationship

Management Its about:

Knowing your customers, and Using that knowledge to form profitable

relationships Systems & Technology help us do that:

CRM software applications Customer Communications Plans using

multi-media

CRM Is A Strategy Systems:

Collect information and segment customers to know their needs

Collaborate with them to plan and create new value,

Technology: Integrate the customer's various touch points with

the business Develop a single, real-time view of each customer Know what to offer customers/customer groups and

when they will be ready to buy it People

Train for customer-centric service

Keeping Customers Can be Challenging Customer behavior can shift rapidly as

markets create new purchase opportunities and alternative means of obtaining satisfaction

Value propositions have changed significantly as competition across all markets has increased

Customer loyalty relationships are vulnerable when a competitor offers a better solution

Customer Driven CRM What will this

customer/customer group buy? When do they buy it? What will encourage them to

buy it? How much will they pay for it? What creates value for them,

and if we create this value will this increase their loyalty to us?

Getting The Answers Not all your customers have the same

needs but to be able to establish the different sorts you need information

It makes sense to build up a profile of your customers and group them according to their different requirements because this will give you a good idea of how likely they are to purchase what you are offering

And The Benefits Are.... The benefits of a CRM strategy can be substantial:

Increased sales to new and existing customers through better timing, identifying needs more effectively and cross selling of other products

More effective marketing communications using a more personal approach

The development of new/improved products/services

All of which result in the payoff of: Enhanced customer satisfaction and retention Increased value from your existing customers - and

reduced cost-to-serve them

Creating Your Own CRM System Collecting information about your

customers Creating a customer information

database Providing a way to access the

information Analyzing the customer data, and Using the information to meet customer

needs; market more effectively; and enhance the customer experience

Collecting Information About Customers Look at your entire business to establish

what customer data already resides where

Don’t leave any source out of consideration. They all contain customer information, often on the same customer for different aspects of their dealings with you that might later be useful to profile their value to you and determine their needs.

What Information Do You Need? To segment customers and build a picture of what

might appeal to them you need more than just contact details:

Responses to campaigns

Sales and purchase data

Account information

Complaints record

Web registration data

Service and support records

Demographic data: age, occupation etc.

Selling B2B? Selling B2B requires collecting information about your

business customers – firmographics:

What industry sector they are in

Public or private

Size of company

How they buy from you and the size and frequency of their purchase

Also rate how valuable they are to your business

All this information gives an idea of who are your best and worst customers, and what they buy from you

Create A Customer Information Database Centralize your information by bringing

it together in a database of some sort Standardize your information by making

sure you have a consistent way of recording it

Keep it centralized as a database so other team members can access it and be up to date on that customer

What Sort Of Database Do I Need? Consider:

Number of customers and amount/types of data you want to collect – and the possibility of scaling up in the future

Your budget Your in house expertise The need or the benefit of integration

with other business systems

Analyzing Customer Data Data mining can now start to give some

really useful information about your customers to: Develop targeted marketing campaigns Sales offers Identify trends in product likes and

dislikes Develop new services for the customer

Result - increased customer loyalty

Using The Information It’s five to seven times more expensive to acquire a

new customer than to retain an old one Do more business with your current customer Use customer data productively to:

meeting your current customer’s needs, marketing more effectively to them, identifying cross selling and upselling opportunities

to them enhancing their experience in dealing with you

Improving Your Marketing

Typically, 80% of profits will come from just 20% of your customer base.

If you could identify that 20% and gain an understanding of what it is they like about your product or service, you can develop personalized marketing for them

With this knowledge of customers you can: Develop targeted marketing campaigns aimed at

your most profitable customers Cross sell and upsell to them Identify what marketing channels are most

successful

Enhancing The Level Of Service

Offer special services to specific segments

Offer improved service level

Offer new services

Marketing to your Customers Most under-utilized marketing Largest source of business For many small businesses, 65-70% of

business comes from Existing or Past Customers Referrals from Customers Referrals from quality Referral Partners Referrals from Business Networking

Your Customer Communications Plan

Start with Your Database Customer List Prospects Referral Partners

Tools to Manage Your Contact Data

CRM Software ACT! Goldmine Salesforce Microsoft Outlook Google Apps Sugar Zoho Microsoft Dynamics Custom Software Many, many others…

Other Tools QuickBooks Microsoft Excel Microsoft Access

Key to Success – Commitment!!! Keep Your Master Database Up to Date EVERYONE who handles customer information

must be committed to maintaining the database Auxiliary Lists in other software must be

updated from the Master Database Email Newsletter Software (Constant Contact, etc.) QuickBooks

Maintain Segmented Lists so you can reach out to a subset

Database Segments Define Groups

Customers Individual Customers Business Customers Your defined segments

Prospects Did a proposal Inquired about your services

Referral Partners Related businesses who have the best

opportunity to refer BNI Power Team Business Contacts

Classify Your Customers Classifying Your Customers

Characteristics Buying Patterns Interests Types of Services purchased When services were performed

Rate Your Customers Rating Your Customers

A - Best (Ideal) Customers B – Pretty Good/Average Customers C – Substandard (Upgradable?) D – There shouldn’t be any (Fire them)

Develop a Communications Plan – 1

Who Customers Prospects (Prior Proposals) Referral Partners

How Often Depends on the “Who” At least 4 times per year, probably no more

frequently than monthly When

Peak interest periods Slow business cycles Natural touch points (holidays, at the end of a job,

at “X” period following a job)

Develop a Communications Plan – 2

Media – What’s best for your “who” lists? Direct Mail (Postcards, brochures, flyers) Letters Newsletters (Print or Electronic) E-blasts (Specific Purpose – Special Offer) Greeting Cards Telephone Calls In Person Meetings (lunch, coffee) Social Media (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter)

Variety – Mix up media Reach more people where or how they like to participate Manage costs with less expensive media

Develop a Communications Plan – 3 Cost

Review Annual Budget If needed, time larger expenditures to projected cash

flow Choose marketing media that fits your budget Refine Monthly Budgets to reflect marketing plan costs

Action Steps Set Action Plan so you can deploy communications on

schedule Keep Marketing and Keep Your Brand Alive!

Develop a Communications Plan – 4 What do I say?

Relevant information to customer’s needs/wants Highlight timely services Provide value (Educate, Inform, Inspire, Entertain) Offer specials Ask for referrals Call to Action

How do I say it? Be customer centric – make it about them Be yourself, use your own voice

Email Marketing Use a Email Marketing Service

Constant Contact, Mail Chimp, Chamber Zoom, Aweber, Get Response, I Contact etc.

Share Value – Don’t just sell Be Consistent – Monthly, Twice a month,

Weekly Use Great Headlines Remember WIIFM Build your list

In Summary CRM really comes down to this – it’s a way to store

the sort of information that adds value for your customers when they do business with you

It needs to be supported by a team trained in a customer-centric approach

You must be committed to the process With a solid CRM system, you can create a customer

communications plan that’s easy to implement When you communicate with your customers you get

more business!

Create or refine your client list Write out a simple plan for when you will

communicate with your customers and what message you plan to convey

Test drive an email marketing system I suggest free trial for Constant Contact, Mail

Chimp or try Chamber Zoom if you are a Chamber member

Upload your list to email marketing system Create an email & get feedback from Linnea and

group members Send your first customer communication email Review Tools on Group Coaching website

Implementation steps

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