After you complete the marketing lead generation work, and the sales team has brought in new business, how will these new clients be treated? What will you do to make them feel special, wanted, and valued? How will you delight them? Do you have a plan to make them feel like they belong to something special and exclusive?
Marketing teams spend so much effort trying to fill the lead funnel, that they forget about the importance of onboarding new clients.
I am giving this a lot of thought for several projects I’m working on this year. What could I do that would surprise new customers and is probably not scalable? How could I find a way to go beyond the typical and average thank you email that is as satisfying as the empty calories of a 7-11 Slurpee?
Lessons from Competitors
It is helpful to observe what your competitors aren’t willing to do.
Buy from them. See what the competition does. Ask yourself, what missed opportunity could they have taken advantage of if they had been mindful of this part of the experience after the purchase.
What don’t they do? Maybe your competitor sends an automated thank you after the completion of an order.
What is a grander or more personal action or gesture you could do that will surprise and delight them? How much thought goes into this stage of your messaging? Could you deliver a little gift that is quirky but on brand – and brings a smile to your new customer’s day?
We, marketers, spend so much time trying to attract and interest a new customer. But, what is your plan for onboarding them that brings a smile and a connection to your brand that helps them want to share their experience with their friends?
Business to Consumer
I’m working on a B2C project for a client and trying to build in a way to over deliver to the first thousand customers. I want them to feel that they belong to our community and that we appreciate them.
We will spend part of our marketing budget for this activity. I’ll be in a position to share some of this later this fall, but I’m watching others in the category to see where they stop – and where we can begin.
One thing I will do is to brainstorm and consult with my friend Danny who is in the delighting customer business through promotional products they sell at Brand Fuel. I like the idea of giving a little gift to every customer as an added way to say thank you and to help enable word of mouth. And his creative team may have an idea to help me spark joy after the sale is completed.
I’ll also be asking other marketing friends to share ideas with me about what they do to bring unexpected delight and joy when it is least expected. How can I get a new customer to feel like they are a part of something bigger than a transaction – that they are part of a movement?
Whatever we do for the first thousand customers, may not scale. That’s okay. What is critical is finding a way to stimulate word of mouth and sharing among early adopters. Many businesses never get past acquiring enough early customers who want to share your story. Remember, the best marketing comes from a satisfied customer telling their friend about your product.
What are your plans to make your first thousand customers your greatest marketing asset to help you find the next ten thousand?
You can set up a time to chat with me about your marketing challenges using my calendar. Email me jeffslater@themarketingsage.com Call me. 919 720 0995. Visit my website at www.themarketingsage.com The conversation is free, and we can explore working together.
Photo by Roseanna Smith on Unsplash
