FunMarketer Lesson of the Week

Craig, what do you mean it’s critical that I “Signal after the Sale”?

The FunMarketer answer is: You Signal After the Sale to achieve a Competitive Advantage.

Many of you know I study Michael Porter. One of his key insights for marketers is the idea of “use criteria” and “signaling criteria”:

use criteria = what the product does for the buyer

signaling criteria = how the buyer thinks or feels about what the product does for the buyer

Superior marketing can often successfully defend against a superior product. But, even if you have a superior product, you must use signaling criteria to make sure your competitor – who you know makes an inferior product – isn’t clobbering you through superior signaling (marketing).

And guess what – a great deal of signaling needs to happen AFTER the sale.

What are you communicating? Value, of course. Yes, I can hear some of you saying: “Craig that’s Marketing 101″. Yes, well then why do so many of us violate the rules of Marketing 101? Probably the same reason the huge banks violate the rules of Finance 101; sometimes Finance or Mkg 401 looks sexier and more attractive, but it doesn’t always make you the most money.

Signaling after the Sale (to communicate the superior value your product/service has) can take many forms. You can’t just fire off a signal flare when you are in trouble and sales are down–that’s what your signaling strategy can head off. Here are two powerful reasons to implement an after-sale marketing strategy, and the attendant tools to use for each:

1. Facilitate Two-Way Communication. You want that customer talking. You want them talking to your company if there is a problem, and you want that customer talking to other people if there is no problem. The tools:

a. Survey. No, not the 10 question Customer Satisfaction stuff that corporate puts out. Just a quick survey that asks “how’d we do” and “how can we do better.” Make it look like a quick note and not something that is going to be graded by a computer. Mail it to your customer along with a pre-stamped envelope. People respond more openly if they can safely enclose their answers inside an evelope – don’t cut corners with a postcard, here.

b. Referral or Tell-A-Pal program. (Yes, it needs to be incentivized). These are simple programs to set up and monitor; just make sure you think the rewards through and that BOTH parties – referring and referred – receive some incentive for participation. Email me at funmarketer@marketinghawks.com for more ideas or specifics.

2. Head-Off Buyer’s Remorse

Good salespeople close today’s sale; great salespeople close tomorrow’s sale.

Ever felt great about a purchase in the store, and then once you were home balancing your checkbook or figuring out how to pay for your purchase got a sick feeling in your stomach? You need to be proactive in your signaling to avoid this happening to your customers.

a. Handwritten thank-you note is absolutely huge.

b. Phone call from the salesperson. Joe Girard has excellent advice here. His books are just great at sharing all kinds of sales tips, and this is one of the best.

c. Reassurance via product benefits, helpline, we are here for you, ways others are using the product, blogs on the product, etc. For those of you living in Web 2.0, this is the time to engage good blogs on your product to help re-sell you to that customer.

Get creative! It’s rarely the cost of signaling after the sale that causes companies to abandon the practice. Lack of management will and commitment is the usual culprit.

FunMarketer Free Campaign Idea of the Week

Save this shot of a US Flag for a serious campaign geared around Flag Day or the Fourth of July. For those of you who’ve seen the burial of a vet and the presentation of the triangular-folded flag to the spouse, you know how powerful that moment is.

Not an image to be used lightly – yet some of the most powerful ads can generate some very positive emotion for your company or cause.

Photo: Istock #1954124

Headline: In Between Hot Dogs and Soda Pops, Take a Moment to Salute the Real Heroes This Independence Day

Alternate Headline: For Those of You Who Couldn’t Be Here in Person This Independence Day – Thank You for Our Freedom

Got any great ideas of your own? Just reply to the FunMarketer blog with your istock number and your headline and subhead (Clean Only, Please).

Oh, if you do use the campaign, make sure you give credit where due.

FunMarketer Tip of The Week

OK, if the ‘Ka-Ching’ of the cash register is just the start of the sale, how do you keep the line of communication open with your customer?

Ask.

Pretty high-tech, isn’t it. At the point of sale…ask the customer if they’d like a frequent purchase punch card, or to be placed on your newsletter or email list. Make sure you let employees know how important the lines of customer communication are.

FunMarketer Phrase of The Week

“Red Letter Days”. OK, you know a Red Letter day is typically a holiday or a specialy day on the calendar. During the summer in the US we have various “Red Letter” days such as Memorial Day, Flag Day, Juneteenth and Independence Day.

Next time you’re searching for a theme for any sale or promotion you’re having, why not try “Red Letter Days” instead of the over-used “-thon” such as marathon, sale-a-thon, etc.

Just a thought, but you might be able to build a whole promotion around it.

Happy Marketing!

Craig Lutz-Priefert