Published January 2004

Service contacts should outnumber sales calls

Consumers are fed up with predatory sales tactics: spam, telemarketing and fax fliers. So much so that many legitimate selling attempts are perceived as annoying. You can get past this stigma by putting an emphasis on service contacts.

There’s no question that lawmakers are addressing intrusive marketing (with the do-not-call list and new spam legislation). And I’m not suggesting my readers are pushing Viagra or debt relief à la spam; but your sales activity may “perceptually” lump you into that category.

Freud said, “People do not react to reality; they react to their perceptions of reality.” How do your customers perceive your selling efforts? If you want to stay top-of-mind you must stay in touch — how you do this determines whether you are seen as a sinner or a saint.

My family received a call this week from a contractor that gave us a home improvement bid last spring. We put the project on hold because of a family health situation. His call was to see how the family member was doing — no selling, just concern. This guy owns me now.

Incorporating service contacts as the cornerstone of your communication strategy will pay off and keep you from being perceived as too pushy. The main considerations are message, medium, frequency and opt-out.

n Message: This is where you have the greatest opportunity to gain favorable recall. Your service-oriented messages should outweigh the number of sales contacts. The ratio will depend on your industry and customer base.

Value-added content (free, useful information) is a great way to keep your message on the desktop instead of in the trashcan. Periodicals (newsletters, e-zines, tip sheets, etc.) continually put your brand in front of the customer. The content should be high value, not promotional.

n Medium: It is important to mix up the way you deliver your messages. If you employ a variety of channels — in person, phone, e-mail, snail mail, fax and point-of-purchase — you’ll appear less obtrusive and still remain top-of-mind. This is especially true when following up on prospects.

n Frequency: The number of times you make contact and the period in between will determine whether you are thought of as pushy or polite. Frequency and intervals should be based on your customers’ buying patterns (or prospects’ interest). Higher interest, more contact.

n Opt-out: Always give your customer/prospect an easy way out. You’ll do yourself more harm than good by communicating to someone who feels trapped. I get a weekly fax from a travel agency. I’ll remember them all right — remember to never patronize them — they don’t offer a way off their list.

Service contacts should outnumber sales calls and be triggered by individuals, not a base average. Execute this activity like an ongoing campaign. There are many affordable “customer relationship management” software applications available.

Think about how you felt the last time a vendor showed interest in you, and it had nothing to do with selling you something. Make your customers feel that same way and you won’t need to worry as much about sales — they will happen!

Andrew Ballard, president of Marketing Solutions Inc. in Edmonds, develops brand leadership strategies for businesses and teaches strategic marketing through Edmonds Community College. He can be reached at 425-672-7218 or by e-mail to andrew@mktg-solutions.net.

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