Internal marketing is all about marketing to your existing client database, and the best thing about this is you’ve already done all the hard work. You’ve already collected their details, because they’ve made a past enquiry and supplied you with their email or postal address, or they have used your services or purchased your product from you and are now a happy client.
YOUR CLIENT DATABASE IS GOLD
Many businesses undervalue their client database, not realising it is absolute gold, and it’s the one thing your competitors would love to get their hands on if they could.
As a business owner, you should always be trying to add names and grow this database list. Your whole internal marketing strategy revolves around your client database, so never delete or archive a client name unless the client asks to be removed, dies, or they move away.
SAD STORY
I still kick myself today for deleting over 15,000 names from my original database, between 1992 and 2006, because I did not understand the power and value of developing a proper database.
Internal marketing is about business development and commitment to improving your clients’ experience, which leads to long-term business success. You should continuously be promoting your services and products, and internal marketing is how you do it. If you choose not to educate your clients, don’t be surprised when they go to another business for a service you offer.
Never assume they know about all the services you provide. If you want to test this theory, ask the next ten clients you see to list the top five services your business offers. You may be surprised with the answers.
I’ve had my current accountant for over ten years, but I’ve only been using his bookkeeper for the past two years because I didn’t know his business offered this service, or if I did know I forgot.
SADDER STORY
I had a patient, that was a close family friend visit my podiatry business for an updated pair of orthotics, which I had been providing for at least eight or so years. When she arrived for her fitting visit, I noticed a dressing on her big toe, and when I enquired what was wrong, she said she had nail surgery by her local GP.
WHAT!
Why didn’t she make an appointment to see me for her surgery? She didn’t know I did nail surgery, she thought I only did orthotics.
Both these stories illustrate why we need to be educating our clients and why we should never assume they know what we do. Internal marketing is one of the cheapest forms of marketing, it’s cost-effective, and your results are easy to measure.
TOP 16 INTERNAL MARKETING TIPS
Here are my top 16 internal marketing tips you should consider if you’re not already doing so, and they are not in order of importance.
1. TELEVISIONS
If you have a waiting area, you should have a television promoting all the services you offer. You could have a DVD created by an audio-visual professional, or you could record something simple yourself, and there are many apps and inexpensive programs available today that can assist you with this process.
For example, your Smartphone is easy to use for recording, but make sure the lighting and sound right, as this reflects on your business. If you’re going to produce videos on a regular basis, you may want to invest in better equipment.
I’m not a huge fan of showing free-to-air television in reception areas, except for special events, for two reasons:
Reason 1: The noise can be quite distracting
Reason 2: There’s the potential for a competitor’s ad to be shown
2. PUT UP SIGNS THAT SAY “WE HAVE A WEBSITE”
In your waiting area and in every room where a client may go you should have a sign, in full colour, mentioning your website. You can also indicate the social media platforms you use.
3. PICTURES AND POSTERS ON YOUR WALLS
If it’s not relevant to you, your family or your business, take it down. Ideally, posters on the wall should be promoting other services you offer, or reflect something about you, and never put anything on the wall unless it is in a frame.
Also, don’t limit Information posters to your foyer or waiting area; you can have them in different rooms, on backs of doors and even in the bathroom. You could be quite humorous with your bathroom poster if you wanted to – “now that you’re seated and we have your full attention…”.
People talk about humour.
4. COMPANY AND BUSINESS BROCHURES
Brochures are an easy way to put all the services you provide into one document, and you should hand one to every client who enters your business. Make sure you use the services of a graphic artist to help you get the design right, then go to the printers and have it professionally printed, in colour.
You don’t need thousands to get you started; just a short run of 150 or 200. Alternatively, you can print them yourself if you have a good-quality laser printer, but never photocopy a brochure if you’re running low, as a poor-quality copy will reflect poorly on your business.
5. CLIENT RECEIPTS
If you give your clients a receipt, why not print your receipts onto pre-printed flyers promoting another service that your business has to offer?
6. INTERNAL MARKETING SURVEYS
Every business wants more A and B-type clients, but how do you find them? One of the best ways is to create an internal marketing survey and ask your A and B clients some simple questions. For example:
* What radio station do you listen to?
* What times do you listen to the radio?
* What do you watch on TV?
* What do you read?
* Do you read locally published magazines?
* How do you search for a business?
This information will assist you in you in future planning and marketing.
7. ON-HOLD MESSAGES
Do you have a pre-recorded on-hold message, or do you put them on hold and make them listen to annoying music or the local radio station.
A few years I was put on hold by a business and they used a local radio station, and while I was waiting, their opposition had an ad and it was exactly the service I was looking for. So, I hung up and called them and they answered the phone immediately.
8. ANSWERING MACHINE MESSAGES
Answering machine messages should always be short and to the point, and once again you have a captured audience, so it’s a perfect opportunity to leave a good first impression.
9. SIMPLE LETTERS
Sending a simple letter is still one of the easiest ways to stay in touch with your clients. Yes, sending an email is faster, but a hardcopy letter is more engaging.
10. A SIMPLE THANK YOU
When was the last time a motel or hotel sent you a handwritten note or card saying ‘thank you’ for staying at our establishment? NEVER, even though you dropped $150 – $300 per night, or more.
So what do you do the next time you need a motel/hotel? You look for the best deal because they all offer the same average after-sales service.
11. NEWSLETTERS
Unless the newsletter has relevance to the client, it is a waste of time. If you prepare a newsletter, make sure it is all about the client and not you. Give them a reason to want to keep reading it. Make it valid and worthwhile. What’s in it for them? Both emailed and mailed newsletters follow the same rules.
12. EMAIL DATABASE
Using emails to stay in touch with clients is very inexpensive, fast, and an immediate way to communicate with clients about sudden changes within the business.
But make sure every email has a purpose.
13. SHORT MESSAGE SERVICE – ‘SMS’ (TEXT)
Sending short messages has become quite popular over the last few years, and many big companies have adopted this mode of communication. Just like emails, they are relatively inexpensive, fast, and can be sent individually or to a large number of people at once.
Text messages, emails and simple letters can be used together for further impact.
14. CLIENT SATISFACTION SURVEYS
Client surveys are an excellent way to stay in touch with clients and also gain valuable information and feedback about your business and your team. Negative feedback should always be considered as an opportunity to improve. One negative comment means very little, but if you’re receiving the same feedback, you need to address it.
15. REVIEWING AND REACTIVATING CLIENT FILES
Even with the best systems in place, some clients still manage to fall through the cracks; therefore you should review all client files on a regular basis. This task is so important you should do it yourself until you have trained another team member to do this for you, but do not delegate this task too early.
You need to develop your system for reviewing client files thoroughly and this is when simple letters, emails and text messaging can be used in conjunction with each other. One reminder is never good enough.
16. KEEP INTERNAL MARKETING CONSISTENT
The most important part of internal marketing is consistency. Posters on walls, brochures, receipts and all correspondence should be consistent in design, colours and fonts, so it resonates familiarity about your business and over the long-term forms part of your overall branding.
As I said this is just my top 16 internal marketing ideas, and this is not a complete list of ideas – it’s endless once you put on your thinking cap.
If you have any questions regarding internal marketing and how to develop this into a solid marketing pillar, please email me at .
Did you listen to:
Marketing Pillar One – Professional Referrers
Marketing Pillar Two – Non-Professional Referrers
It’s No Secret Business Conference
On the 17th and 18th of August 2018. I will be holding a 2-Day It’s No Secret Business Conference in Cairns and this year’s theme is ‘Communication, Persuasion and Influence’. My Keynote Speaker is David M Frees from Pennsylvania, who was also my guest on Podcast Episode 2. Bookings are NOW OPEN, and for more details, please visit my EVENTS page. (Limited to 50 attendees)
So far I have three international speakers and seven local business owners and entrepreneurs. More details coming shortly.
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First 16 Pages of My Book – It’s No Secret There’s Money in Small Business.
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