Getting Past Go

So many times we feel like our job in marketing is to simply make the phone ring or get a prospect to reply to our email.  The reality is that marketing goes way beyond the initial buying signals.  In fact, good marketing know that they need to manage the entire purchase and renewal process effectively to show lasting results.

Getting Past Go

Instead of thinking about lead generation, think about the entire customer experience.  Not only will you attract users to your product or service, but you will maintain them, communicate with them, and leverage them to continue buying from you long into the future.  

Focus on creating happy customers.  Many companies simply market on the front end, not after the sale.  If you focus on building strong relationships with your existing customers, they will often do the selling for you and become some of your greatest marketing assets.  Consider the type of communication you provide to your existing customers.  Are you simply contacting them to buy more?

What Annoys Me

I recently bought a product that I was really excited about.  It was a video training program that offered daily information.  No less than a week went buy until the videos, which were supposed to be delivering value (and something I paid for) started asking me to "upgrade" ad pitch the video to others to start earning affiliate revenue.  I don't know about you but it certainly made me unhappy with my initial purchase.

After about a week of this I cancelled the subscription and was glad a I did.  As marketers we need to be concerned with our messaging before, during, and after purchase.  If you're not, you'll find your job getting more and more difficult each and every year as customers become harder to attract and retain.

Focus on your marketing communications throughout the customer life cycle.  By thinking beyond the initial purchase, you'll develop a customer base that sustains and grows your business over time.

Posted in: customer retention