Know-How Exchange : Strategy

Dear rowdycolors,

Your question is not specific and I could write a book on the subject. So allow me a non specific answer.

1) Customers firsts. I often discover that business have a vague or even incorrect understanding who their customers are. That is due to poor segmentation (in your case by age, income etc... instead of by underlying need pensioner, affluent family 2nd home ,...). My first tip is to sit down and write out what customers you have. Then you group them by what they have in common and what they need. Write it as this: Group XX wants to OUTCOME. Always think of outcomes when you group customers. People want to either reach a goal or eliminate a problem. Those are the basic categories.

2) After you are more clear on your customers you need determine how their purchase process is. When are they becoming aware of you, when are they becoming interested of you, when do they feel desire about your services or project and when do they act. AIDA in short.
You can place ads, radio commercials, have pay per click online campaigns. It all depends who your customers are. Often people waste time and money because they have a totally false understanding of where their customers inform themselves and how to create interest. Your ability to leave your shoes and walk in those of the customer is how you become effective and efficient. In your case (this is brainstorm here - so bear with me) I could think of these occasions: association of owners, publications that owners get, direct mail at key times (for example when property tax letters are going out), web banner at the country club web site or other association, banner in email newsletter from the city or other owner oriented groups,...

3) Your product and your message also depend on your customer groups. Some might want to maximize money (remember the outcome driven thinking about your customer groups), others might not want to have the place ruined or damaged, others want least amount of worries, etc so see where I am going. So what group are you catering to and what is their desired outcome. Now you have form a positive message that delivers this outcome and you have your ad. Use a picture that communicates this outcome and make it funny or in other ways "remarkable" (standing out) so it gets noticed.

4) The danger of asking your customers for answers. I learned that asking customers what they want or how they think when buying things is a waste of time. Why? Because the true purchase decision process is partially subconscious and deeply connected to ego, fears, etc... and while some might be enlightened enough to recognize it, sharing might be every difficult for them. So you always get rational answers that are not worth anything.

But you can ask your customers "when you need X where do you look to find it?" or "out of these outcomes which are important to (rank 1-5) and underserved (1-5)". Ask for specifics. And ask to rank importance and underserved. That gives you where to put the money and tells you where the opportunity lies (high in importance and high in underserved).

5) The best marketing is done by your customers.
Promise silver, deliver gold (but make sure you remain profitable!) and enable them to share the good product / service you deliver. Ask for testimonials. Ask for referrals. Ask for who they know might benefit from your services. Give discounts , rewards to BOTH current customer and future customer. Some only give discounts to future customers which really makes people want to leave you.

How to do it?
1) talk to your current customers how they found you, what they like about you, what they are trying to achieve or avoid via your services
2) leverage happy customers first before big marketing campaigns
3) group your customers by outcome
4) identify what drives their AIDA
5) place cautiously and test vigorously
6) be remarkable in how you do it (be colorful, be loud, be bold, be elegant, be yourself but bigger !)

Thorsten