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First, I’d like to know a little about you, so that I can give you the most useful information possible. Please tell me a little about yourselves. What type of businesses do you run? Why are you here? SHOW VIDEO (2:06) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3qltEtl7H8 So, what about you? Do you have a real relationship with your customers? Are you saying you “love” your customers but not really acting it out? Are you really listening, OR are you offering mindless incentives as a cheap, tawdry attempt of having a relationship? Well, today I want to talk about developing rich, meaningful relationships with your customers. Relationships so deep that you both you and your customer profit from this newfound love! Why is relational marketing so important with Boomers and the mature market? Because they have seen it all TR Mann Consulting * www.TRMann.com
and they have become desensitized! Oh, and by the way, even though we are at a conference for active aging, you won’t frequently hear me mention age. That’s because I believe that it’s about STAGE not AGE! In other words, what stage of life are you at?
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At TR Mann Consulting, we focus on relational selling. Some great examples of companies that understand relational marketing? Harley, Apple, Oprah and my favorite, Jimmy Buffett. Incidentally, Harley’s fastest growing sales segment is Boomers! Why do you think that is? I’ll tell you why. It’s because Harley understands relational marketing. I’ll explain a little later . . .
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Did you know that Jimmy Buffett was a failing Nashville country musician until he moved to Key West and started sending out an email newsletter and touring? Relational selling!
Tools For True Love (And Selling More)
– Process of discovery • Why are they really looking? Needs, Goals, Aspirations • Probe and assist – The Science of Influence • CLASS R
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Being a good husband, wife, friend, or marketer is all about the process of discovery. And TRUE discovery comes from conversation NOT from demographic profiles. I can tell you personally; this is a problem most husbands and marketers have. They are just not very good listeners. Women, do you ever have a conversation with your husband, and then 5 minutes later he asks you a question that proves he really wasn’t listening? Why is listening so important? Because only through real listening . . . No even deeper than that, only through probing, can we really discover what the needs, goals and aspirations of the person we are speaking to really are. What stage of life are they at? Trust me; you won’t get this off a mailing list. TR Mann Consulting * www.TRMann.com
And I use the word probe because most people are so use to not really being listened to, so much so that they don’t really usually offer up their real thoughts. But listening is just the first step to building a deeper relationship. Once you listen, you need to know how to respond to your new information so that you can help the person. I’m a big believe in the principals of influence as taught by Dr. Robert Cialdini, a research professor out of Arizona State University, although if it were me, I’d rename the principals, the principals of true love. Dr. Cialdini, who I actually hired for a speaking engagement, and his team are brilliant. Now remember, what I am about to teach you should only be used for the forces of good. Do I have your word? Good, Ok. So anyway, here’s an easy way for you to remember the principals . . . CLASS R. C – L – A – S – S- R.
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Consistency:
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Consistency. Once people publicly agree or say something out loud, they are much more likely to hold to that agreement. Example? I happened to be attending a New Year’s Eve party several years ago when one of my slightly inebriated sisters decided to run a marathon as her New Years’ resolution. She then made all of her siblings and family in attendance, including me, swear to join her. And she did this in front of the rest of the party attendees. She then followed up with frequent reminders of how we had all committed to run. Now, keep in mind, that at the time we were all out of shape, didn’t believe in exercise, and thought a good jog was from the couch to the refrigerator, so 26.7 miles was like crazy talk! And guess what it worked, four of us finished the marathon with her. Since then, I used this same technique on myself and have publicly committed to running a marathon in every state. There, I TR Mann Consulting * www.TRMann.com
just did it again. In fact, I estimate that I’ll complete this task when I’m 60. According to Dr. Cialdini, if you want to ensure that a customer’s decision is long lasting, and unshakable, make sure this decision is: 1. VOLUNTARY 2. PUBLIC 3. ACTIVE In other words, make sure that the customer is not strong armed. Nothing will kill the possibility of a long-term relationship faster than a starving salesperson on commission. But assuming all goes well, make sure that the customer does not keep this decision a secret. Even if your customer just writes their commitment down or signs his name, the decision will be more stronger than before. And, if we arrange for our customer to tell others, even other staff members, the decision becomes even more permanent. So what’s this mean to you? Well, let’s use the contract process as an example. Do you want to cut down your number of cancellations dramatically? Just have your customer, rather than your salesperson, fill out the sales agreement. Why? The mere act of filling out the contract creates a condition of consistency that most people don’t want to break.
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Then, tell the person you’re dealing with that you can tell by looking at them, and the way they act, that you know they will follow through with their contract because you can tell that they are an honorable person. You might think that’s flattery, but I mean it when I say it and they can tell I mean it, and it makes them feel honorable. Everyone wants to feel important, and they want to measure up to other people’s expectations. In short, they want my vision of them to be consistent. Also, when a new member or resident signs up, I like to turn it into a celebration . . . I introduce all the staff to the newest member . . . I take a Polaroid of us together and hang it on the “family” wall. They’ve now committed in front of other people. These photos become visual evidence or reminders that we have made a commitment to each other. One that I consider sacred and will go out of my way to honor --- ABOVE AND BEYOND! And the best part is that people want to measure up to what they have said they would do. The hard part, but also the part that is most fun, is that it is then in your court. You now have to overdeliver because you want to be consistent with what YOU said!
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Liking:
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Liking. People are ready to be persuaded by people they like… Aside from the staples of life, people don’t buy products, they buy relationships! Levels of liking go up as people become more certain that we are listening. That’s why people find the beginning of new relationships SO intoxicating. Because the other person is still so engrossed with you. Good listeners parrot back what the customer has said. “So when you say you want to lose weight, do you mean that you want to lose weight or do you want to loss inches on your waist? And research has show that the closer and more exactly you parrot back what they have said, the higher the level of liking. Why does this work? Because it requires true listening. Plus, as a forced discipline it will actually improve your listening skills! After all, who’s the most interesting and important person in the world to most people? That’s right, themselves! I’m telling you, practice TR Mann Consulting * www.TRMann.com
this technique on your spouse and you’ll enjoy a happier marriage. There are several other factors that can influence people to like some people more than others: Physical attractiveness can give people a "halo" effect whereby others are more likely to trust them and think of them as smarter and more talented. Think about that as you are hiring people. People tend to like people who are most like themselves. People tend to like those who pay them compliments. People who they are “forced” to cooperate, i.e... can you help me with this? tend to form a trust with those people they “worked” with. People tend to like people that make them laugh. For example, think about how many lectures start with a joke. Any one of the above methods may help influence people, but used in combination, their effects can be magnified. Most of us have personally experienced, either through ourselves or our spouses, the most brilliant commercial application of the liking rule. That’s right, it the Tupperware party, or Southern Living, or jewelry party! The Tupperware party actually uses almost all of the principals we have talked about or will talk about. How does the liking rule get used at the Tupperware party? Well, women, you all know the gig. You attend a party hosted by a friend, at her house. The Tupperware demonstrator shows you lots of stuff you already own. Yet do you buy more of TR Mann Consulting * www.TRMann.com
the stuff you don’t need? YES! You do! Is the Tupperware demonstrator that good? Not usually. So why do you buy? It’s simple; you buy because you like your friend AND because you “owe” her for the party, so you buy something so that she can get her rewards! Why do these work even when women clearly understand the principals at play? I mean, they know it’s a trap, and yet they attend. Why? Because it’s her friend, she has to go. When I was at Erickson Retirement Communities, we often set new residents up to invite and entertain their friends from their old neighborhood in their new home for a housewarming party. I mean, we sent out the invitations and took care of the catering because we understood the power of this principal. The neighbors had to come; after all, just a few weeks ago they promised their friend that they would stay in touch. In fact, I would now tighten the time that these parties happened to take advantage of the power of consistency and liking. So, what’s the equivalent for your health club?
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Authority:
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Authority. Doctors have the highest rating, when people are surveyed about who is most likely to influence them. Way higher than any other profession. Incidentally, this is my one of my business partners, Dr. Gary Applebaum. TR Mann Consulting is probably the country’s only marketing firm with their own geriatrician . . . Hmmm . . . I wonder if that makes us superior experts on aging? Hmmm I can tell you, that while Dr. Applebaum and I were at Erickson, some of our most effective ads where “written” by Gary. How powerful is this principal? Have you all heard of the Milgram experiments? In the early 60’s, Dr. Milgram tested the ability of authority figures to instruct otherwise normal, non-violent people to do unthinkable things. In fact, contrary to expectations, a majority of civilian volunteers would obey orders to apply electric shocks to another person until they were unconscious or dead. In TR Mann Consulting * www.TRMann.com
Milgram’s experiments, obedience tended to increase with the prestige of the authority figure. Oh, and I should note, that those being shocked were in reality actors and the shocks simulated. Did you know that at one point Camel cigarettes had ads with Doctors recommending their brand? In fact, you can see the ads on YouTube. So, remember people, you must only use these principals for the power of good! Of course, willingness to comply can be used for positive change. For example, the surgeon general telling you to quit smoking is a good thing! Dr. Applebaum telling you to exercise is a good thing! So, who is your exclusive expert? Your Sales person? A Doctor? An Engineer? Architect? Accountant? Another resident or member? How can you apply this principal? Uniforms, badges, clipboards – become the expert. Also, add to your credentials by using press releases, videos, association memberships, public speaking, framed licenses, honors . . . Etc., etc . . . You get the point. I’m always very impressed when I go into Gary’s office, he must have like 600 framed advanced education degrees.
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Social Proof:
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When a number of people agree on something, we are likely to be persuaded too. Apple knew what it was doing when it gave the first IPODs the glaring white wires and base. Soon you were seeing these glaring white music makers everywhere. When I drive by your gym, fitness center, or retirement community, do I get a sense of social proof? Have others gone before me? How strong is this principal? Dr. Cialdini tells of a group of researchers who went door-to-door in Columbia, South Carolina, soliciting donations for a charity campaign and displaying a list of neighborhood residents who had already donated to the cause. The researchers found that the longer the donor list was, the more likely those solicited would be to donate as well. To the people being solicited, the friends’ and neighbors’ names on the list were a form of social evidence about how they should
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respond. But the evidence would not have been nearly as compelling had the names been those of random strangers. The fact is that persuasion can be extremely effective when it comes from peers. The science supports what most sales professionals already know: Testimonials from satisfied customers work best when the satisfied customer and the prospective customer share similar circumstances. Do you have pin maps showing where your members came from? Remember the Polaroid pictures I spoke of earlier? Both of these become visual clues of social proof to new and old signups! Do you have testimonials and letters posted around your office and in your marketing materials? Do you provide opportunities for your members to bring in friends for special occasions? Maybe a special appearance by a chef on how to prepare heart-healthy meals? Social proof makes perfect sense in a busy, overwhelming world. It’s proof that others have done the thinking for us and it turned out alright.
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Scarcity:
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Scarcity. When supplies of something are short, we are more likely to want it! … “it’s the last one in the shop!” For those of you without kids, this is a Nintendo Wii, which is a beautiful example of planned scarcity. Amazing, isn’t it, how this huge corporation somehow is always caught off-guard by the overwhelming demand for their product. Hmmm? Do people know when your development is about to become complete? Even better, how about the first phase? Even better, how about the first floor of the first building with the limited number of views towards the lake? Do you know how many slots your fitness center has? Do you have membership levels, with a limited number available at each level? Because if you don’t, then you can’t tell the customer how few chances they have to obtain TR Mann Consulting * www.TRMann.com
your product. Creating scarcity is a key to success. And being able to offer an exact number increases the power of scarcity. Don’t think this is powerful? Let me give you an example: I happen to know of a retirement community where customers who called in to schedule visits were given overlapping appointment times. When the people showed up for their appointments, they were often “in line” waiting for the retirement counselor to see them. The busier the sales office was, and the longer people had to wait (to a point), the more successful the sales person became. Why? Because social proof and scarcity are two very powerful principals. Grouping the appointments in a tight schedule was a strategic decision. You need to be very conscious in your efforts of “displaying” social proof and scarcity. If you are not, you’re cheating your business.
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If someone gives something to us first, we are likely to respond with a bigger favor. This obligation has staying power. Do something of value for your customer and they will owe you a reciprocal action. Dr. Cialdini uses a great example of one of his Arizona grad students trying out an experiment. The student got a California phone book and at random selected two-hundred names, which she then sent Holiday Greeting cards. Now remember, these were people she did not know . . . living in another state! Amazingly, holiday cards from the receivers flooded back in! These are people sending cards to a person they did not know! Why? Because they owed her . . . And because they didn’t want to admit they couldn’t remember her. Even more amazing, is that she built real relationships with these people over the years. In fact, when it was time for her son to attend orientation at Stanford, who do you think he stayed with? That’s right, one of the “holiday card” people. So how can you use this principal to your favor? My favorite example of this is a sales person who, during an appointment buys with a dollar out of his pocket, a soda for himself and his guest. Why does this work? Because the power of reciprocity is sooo strong! I tell my retirement community clients, that instead of just having a coffee machine in the corner of the sales office, the salesperson should make their guest a cup of coffee, preferably in fine china. The whole experience should be a ritual in service. “Would you like some cream? Sugar?” Although out of these two examples, I TR Mann Consulting * www.TRMann.com
would say the soda example is much stronger because the sales person is paying for it out of his pocket. And therefore, the person owes HIM something. I have always said that the best way to engage reciprocity is through unmatched customer service. The most loyal member base for health clubs, fitness centers, wellness centers, and retirement communities is one created through relationship marketing and an approach to post-sale customer service and relationship management that builds strong ties with your members - not one strictly based on price. If you do it right, you'll actually have members who stay in touch - for example, sending you referrals even after they move away. You can't beat that kind of goodwill. You can certainly run promotions and offer special deals, which is the traditional health club sales approach (think Bally's, Gold's, 24Hour, etc.). But avoid discounting your monthly fee under all circumstances. If you must discount (and we strongly advise against it), discount only the initial sign-up fee. Even better, hold the line on price but offer extra value in the form of a complimentary personal training session or something else that gives them a "taste" of other appealing products and services you'd be pleased to sell them more of (energy bar, smoothie, massage, etc.) If you discount your price or start out with a very low introductory price, unfortunately that means that you'll have attracted primarily extremely price-sensitive members who leave when TR Mann Consulting * www.TRMann.com
they see a better deal down the street. And among health clubs, a better deal is always just down the street. As a result, you're constantly on a desperate search for new members and never have the opportunity to build strong and lasting relationships that enable you to keep selling products and services to a member base whose needs you truly understand.
We all want to belong
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OK, now that you all have an understanding of the principals of influence, you have a leg up on your competition. This basic understanding will give you the ability to influence and build relationships. And now for the meat of our conversation. Building relationships! As I already told you, I’m a runner. Well, near my house there is a bagel shop and a running shoe store that have banded together to create a tradition . . . The Saturday bagel run. Every Saturday, for the last decade, a hundred plus runners gather together at the TR Mann Consulting * www.TRMann.com
starting point, which is right outside the running store. Why? Two reasons, first the owner has kindly mapped running courses of all distances for people to run. He understands the power of reciprocity. He even put together a book with all the courses. Second, it’s a social event. You don’t have to run alone, you get to run with like-minded people. We all want to belong. And when we’re done running we all go to the bagel shop for a bagel and a coffee. Often followed up with a trip to our favorite running store. Were we manipulated? No, I would say we were done a favor. Remember at the beginning of my talk I showed you the Harley tattoo? One of the smartest moves Harley ever did was the creation of the HOG chapters. HOG is short for Harley Owners Group. These local chapters frequently meet for rides together. Harley understands that people want to belong. So much so, that they’ll put permanent tattoos of their logo on their bodies and clothes so that other Harley owners can recognize them.
Inform Inspire Involve TR Mann Consulting
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When I was at Erickson Retirement, I created a mantra, Inform * Inspire * And Involve, that was used by Erickson’s two media outlets: The Erickson Tribune and Retirement Living TV. Think about these three words very carefully. Inform. Inspire. And Involve. I promise you, if you use these three words to guide your marketing efforts you will start to build incredible relationships. Even better, forget about marketing, use these words to guide all of your actions and you’ll start to experience major success. Let’s tackle the first word.
Inform. This is an article written for the Erickson Tribune several years ago, before the market crashed. The purpose was to inform our potential customers (which was 11.5 million readers) that “moment” in time was the moment to sell their house. We were doing them a real service, by providing them with real information. The Tribune was written in a newsy, editorial manner TR Mann Consulting * www.TRMann.com
with very little traditional advertising. We benefited immensely from the goodwill created from providing real information. Do you have this opportunity? You betcha. How about a monthly newsletter brimming with valuable health tips? One that can easily be passed on to friends and family. How about the example I gave you earlier, of the heart-healthy chef? These sorts of actions will also go a long way towards establishing you or one of your staff members as an expert. And make sure your experts’ and your salespersons’ photos are always included. You want your perspective customer to feel like they know you when they come in for their appointment. And remember, you don’t really need to convince them to be healthy, they already know that. Instead, focus on making it easy for them. Give them information and services that make staying healthy easier! I should also point out one little bit of information here, while we’re talking about information. Several years ago, AARP in conjunction with the ICAA did a study on terminology. For the record, the mature market reacted very negatively towards the term “exercise” while the term “active” tested very positively. But I digress.
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Inspire. Here’s a PR clip from a retirement community where an inspirational story about residents helping at the local school system was told. Was this inspirational? Absolutely! Many retirees are searching for new meaning in their lives. After all, society tends to devalue you once you retire. What’s the first question someone asks you at a party? “So, who do you work for?” Well, these stories don’t appear in the paper by accident, they are often guided by talented PR people. And the effect? Seniors look at a story like this and go, “I want to be involved!” Very often their next thought is, “Man, I want to live at a place where people are doing cool stuff!” Think about it this way, have you ever placed an inspirational story about one of your health club members? PR is even more powerful than advertising. It comes across as an unsolicited recommendation. I guarantee you, the stories that you don’t yet TR Mann Consulting * www.TRMann.com
know about your members will amaze you. And even more importantly, getting to know your members this deeply, so that you can discover these stories, will be even more important than the PR itself. Your members will feel a real connection with you. They know that they belong and are cared for. Plus, most people love being stars! Hint: These stories are EASY to create, what about a team that runs a combined 1,000 miles to raise money for charity? Do you think that would get you some press? Let’s generate some other ideas . . .
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Involve. As many of you may know, GRAND Magazine is one of my clients. GRAND, along with one of our advertisers, Humana, created a contest for the GRANDparent of the Year award. This is an example of involving GRAND’s readers and Humana’s customers and potential customers. TR Mann Consulting * www.TRMann.com
Back to our last slide; think a fundraiser also counts towards involving your customers? Absolutely, in fact, in that example, even members that don’t contribute monetarily to the fundraiser can contribute by running, etc. The opportunities to involve your customers are endless. Don’t want to do a fundraiser, how about a contest? . . . the biggest loser, most miles, most days at the club . . . What about hooking up with a local triathlon to provide special training (which will bring in potential new members and also probably get you a complimentary sponsorship slot)? Again, the possibilities are endless! Your goal is to become an integral part of the community. Just give people a chance to be involved . . . To belong!
Letting the outside word in . . .
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Also remember that building relationships extends beyond your members. There are plenty of opportunities to bring the outside world in. TR Mann Consulting * www.TRMann.com
First, have a strong website. Did you know that 62% of people use the internet when shopping for a health club? Think of it this way, the internet has replaced the yellow pages. Your site should provide people with the opportunity to connect in many of the ways we already talked about. Also, consider having group tours . . . Pick a day . . . Say Saturday at 10:00 . . . People are looking for a low pressure way to see the facility without getting accosted by a sales person. Some other ideas: Arrange a deal with the most successful real estate agent in your area. Offer to waive the initiation fee for any of their buyers. Tell the agent that you are only offering this to the top agent of each local agency. But make it exclusive to only one agent for each company. Or make it exclusive to one company. Either way, control who gets it, so they feel like it's something special. Explain to the agent that they can use it as a sales tool, “this house comes with an extra room!� Pick a restaurant in your area and offer to provide a free pass or discount to any patron who purchases a pre-selected "healthily dinner." Dinners you'd like to include could be red-tagged on the menu. Be sure to provide the restaurant - and the program sufficient exposure in your club. Offer to promote their business by exposing your members to a complimentary, heart-healthy cooking demonstration by their chef at the restaurant or at your club. Provide local groups free use of your facility during a time when you're normally closed. Guests should sign in when they arrive, TR Mann Consulting * www.TRMann.com
and you can follow up with mailings. The groups must be responsible for their own activities, so there's little to no cost to you besides keeping the facility open. Present educational programs and lectures to local civic groups. These groups are always hungry for luncheon speakers. Presentations should be low-key and noncommercial - not a sales pitch for the club, but a generic talk about fitness or some other mutual interest. You can always pitch the club afterward to the people who are interested. The beauty of most low-cost promotions is that they cost almost nothing to offer, and can generate impressive sales and prospects. Offer to write a health column in your local paper. Media outlets are starving for good, free, content. Again, the possibilities are endless. You just have to use your imagination AND then measure the results.
E-mail: Building the relationship
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Ok. So we’ve established that I’m big on building relationships. Other than word of mouth, what’s the cheapest form of relational advertising? E-mail. Why is email so important? a) First, remember that the 'buying cycle' for joining a health club is 3 to 6 months. b) Most sales reps only follow up 1 time after the first contact with a prospect. c) 72% who joined a health club last year used the internet to help choose one. d) Most health club websites fail to provide prospects what they're looking for. e) 53% of prospects said they would rather email questions than call in. f) 99% of all clubs have no system for emailed leads (they 'wing it'). g) Recent studies show people who receive health newsletters are healthier than those who don't receive them. h) Email marketing is 100% more cost effective than any other form of marketing or advertising (except word of mouth). Marketing and advertising isn’t cheap. Printing, design, layout, postage, ad space, cable or radio air time...it all adds up quickly for you. Postage costs alone have risen over 33% in the past 4 years.
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The best way to communicate with your members and prospects is also the least expensive. No printing, no postage and no ad rep costs. It also happens to be the most personal and direct. You want the ability to email. The problem is, most clubs have not collected email addresses from their membership. Fewer have a set plan in place to actively collect email addresses from current and new members or from prospects and visitors to their club or website. I'd like to offer a few ideas that can help you build monster lists over a short period of time. Here is a "given" with any of these approaches; you must CLEARLY articulate "what's in it for me?" to your audience. Why should someone give you there information for nothing? I wouldn't, would you? A Great Solution We have seen some very creative ways to get email. One club launched their new newsletter and pick a lucky subscribers name to give a $500 prize to them (it ended up getting them over 1100 email addresses). Another club has every new sale give an email address at the closing table. They email out the temporary membership card to every new sale (they went from getting 20% of the emails to over 86% at the point of sale). Another club had their billing software send a copy of the receipt to the new members email (this yielded a 90% email capture rate at the point of sale). So whether you use a reward or just creativity, you too can get the emails.
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If you want something, you've got to give something. Is it worth your spending a few bucks to get a few hundred email addresses from your members and prospects? It's a freakin' no-brainer! You should be successful in this project. Members already know who you are and have a level of 'trust' with your club. Prospects have a similar trust level established with you. They have sought you out. They are actively looking for a club. If you are helping them in that effort, they will want to hear from you (notice I did not say 'selling them', rather if you are 'helping them'). How to Get 'Em: Try One of These Four Ways Sign-Up Slips: Go get yourself a big fishbowl. Next, 3 helium balloons and some thin ribbon. Secure the balloons to the rim of the bowl with 3' pieces of ribbon. Place it on your counter. Create an 8.5" x 11" sign and put it in a frame. Make it colorful and simple: Headline announcing offer, next line telling them what to do, last line giving them directions. What ever the prize is, have it visible or clearly shown with a picture. Place slips of paper for them to complete nearby. One line for them to give you their full name, next line for their email address, and third line to indicate if they are a member or visitor. Kiosk: If you have the ability to put a laptop or workstation at the front desk, you are in a great position to get quick results. A simple
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"Name" and "Email Address" prompt can be placed on your home page for a member or prospect to register. By putting the registration process on autopilot, you can maximize your results with little effort. The only drawback to using this method exclusively, is you fail to reach your inactive membership (and this may be the audience in greatest need to be hearing from you on a regular basis!). Flyers: Good old fashioned handouts. Give one to everyone as they LEAVE the gym. Short and sweet in your message. Ask them to log on to your website, enter their name and email address, tell them they will receive valuable information on fitness, diet and nutrition twice a month; along with special offers and promotions exclusively for subscribers. If you are having a raffle, play that up big. If you are giving them a small gift, have them print out the "thank you" page they receive after completing the registration on-line (as proof). Mailing to Home: If you want MAXIMUM member input, send them a letter to their home. Make it personal from "I" to "you". Be explicit in your request, directions and 'what's in it for them'. We love this method because you'll reach your members who infrequently come in to the club. Imagine if you had a chance to communicate with them twice a month? Think about the effect that would have to give them the encouragement they need to
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come back in. What would that do for your overall member retention figures? Final Thoughts on email ... Communicating to your members and prospects via e-mail is very powerful. It is also very inexpensive. Once you've set up this communication to be automatic, you'll have more time to do what you want to do, while putting more money into your front pocket. It may cost you a few bucks to get your email database, but once you have it, it will be worth 100 times what you spent to get it.
ROI
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Of course, all of this requires a disciplined marketing and Return on Investment approach. First, I highly recommend that you pay close attention to your phone team. Nothing will kill good marketing work faster than TR Mann Consulting * www.TRMann.com
poor phone response. Everyone on your team needs to have extensive response training. The same is true for your tours. Remember, you are only as strong as your weakest link. In fact, I recommend a secret shopper service for your phone calls, your email and your tours. With one important disclaimer, your team needs to believe this is a teaching tool AND NOT a “gotcha” tool. Incent them for improved scores. You’ll be amazed at what you learn. Second, measure everything. Phone closing ratios, tour ratios, your investment in every marketing venture (time and money). Every lead should have a lead source. Measure everything with the same passion that a good trainer measures your progress. Put ALL your marketing efforts on an Outlook calendar. And I mean all of them . . . Newspaper ads, radio ads, speaking engagements and email campaigns. Remember, you’re looking to systematize. That’s the only way you are ever going to learn what works and what doesn’t. Especially when you consider this is a 3 month buying cycle. What you did 90 days ago, is going to determine your success today.
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True Customer Service Is The Unexpected Benefit that comes from true understanding.
• Oprah
– Book club – Charities – Gifts
• Harley Davidson – HOG
• Jimmy Buffett – Parrott Heads
• Starbucks – Countless flavors – Office/lounge away from home – Music TR Mann Consulting
Pulling it all together. The best marketers are the brands or companies that delight their customers with the unexpected. How do they do this? By knowing their customers on a deeper, more meaningful way . . . Then digesting that information . . . And coming back to their customer with creative surprises. And that word creative just kind of hangs out there because true creativity requires work, it requires brainstorming, it requires the conscious decision to go where your competitors haven’t. I love Oprah. In fact, she’s my personal hero. She is a natural relational marketing genius. Think about it, she is consistent in her actions, she is likable – she is both attractive and like us (she has battled weight and drugs). And because she has battled with weight, drugs, relationships, and is wealthy, she is an authority. And last but not least, she clearly understands the power of TR Mann Consulting * www.TRMann.com
reciprocity. I mean here is a lady who gives away cars, has a huge connection with charities, and constantly provides valuable services and information like the book club. But it all stems from her desire to delight! You see, the best marketers are givers!
“Try not to become a person of success.
Rather become a person of value.� Albert Einstein
TR Mann Consulting * www.TRMann.com
TR Mann Consulting * www.TRMann.com