Promote this article on various sites or email to your friends:
Too many businesspeople think a brand is just for marketing. A pretty logo... a flashy ad... a fancy website — all to bring new buyers in the door.
But businesses with a long sales cycle — especially service and professional businesses — know that bringing prospects in the door is just the first step to turning them into clients.
In today’s troubled economy, buyers are taking extra time to make their decisions. How you interact with prospects after they walk in the door can make all the difference between “Show me where to sign” and “So long, it’s been nice talking to you.”
It may seem obvious that your brand should deliver a consistent experience from first touch to final sale — and beyond. But too many businesses approach their ads, website, marketing communications, direct marketing, point-of-sale and client service materials as separate programs with little coordination.
Ask yourself these questions to make sure you’re delivering a consistent experience throughout your sales process:
Websites that are only skin-deep won’t support a drawn-out sales cycle. Give your prospects a reason to come back over and over with fresh articles, ideas, added-value information and user-friendly media.
Prospects stop talking to you if they hear the same story over and over. Design your brochures, presentations, direct marketing and other communications to drip out messages over a multi-step sales process.
Make sure your advertising, fulfillment materials and other sales support are on the same page. While ad campaigns typically talk about current concerns, your marketing communications may have a longer shelf life and address a different set of issues.
Too many salespeople sell on price, not on brand. Turn your sales force into brand messengers by training them to deliver the same messages as your marketing and giving them the tools they need to add value throughout the process.
Remember, your client is someone else’s prospect. The day you stop delivering your brand’s message is the day your client starts listening to someone else’s. A branded client service experience is the best way to build loyalty and turn a new client into a repeat client.
Wechsler takes an integrated approach to branding and marketing across the entire sales cycle. We can help you apply these principles to build a branded client experience and make your marketing more effective. To learn more visit us at www.wechsler.com or call us at 212 924-3337. Ask for Arnold.
