In the movies, and maybe real life, when there is a kidnapping or hostage situation, the negotiators ask for proof of life – something to confirm the people involved are alive. Your potential customers also look for proof of life. They want to know you are still open for business, confirmation that you provide the service they are looking for, and reassurance that someone will be in the office, store or restaurant before they pick up the phone or drive to your location.
Over the past few weeks, the R2R Marketing team has researched several business development targets. Entirely too often, we come across a company that appears to fit our target market, but we run into a challenge – it’s difficult to quickly and easily discover if the business is still open and operating. There is no proof of life.
Here are some of the warning signs we encounter:
- No Facebook or LinkedIn posts in the past several months
- Or posts that only acknowledge holidays (Fourth of July, for example)
- Inactive social media accounts – they exist, but the last post was years ago.
- No recent Google reviews or reviews that do not have a response from the business
- Links from the website to social media accounts that are closed, or the link simply goes to “Facebook.com,” not the business page
- Website blogs with no posts in several months – or even years
Any one of these can interrupt the desired actions of your target audience. When several of these issues are present, the consumer is more likely to simply move on to one of your competitors, who is active and engaged. You miss out on a potential sales opportunity you never knew existed.
Yes, having a social media presence and keeping the website updated takes time or money, but it’s an investment in future opportunities. Whether you like it or not, proof of life is as important as unlocking the doors, turning on the “open” sign, and answering the phone. Your customers expect a minimum level of activity, and if it doesn’t exist, that creates doubt in their minds. Doubt is a barrier to successful sales.
If you’re not sure your business has the proof of life your target audience needs, get in touch with the R2R Marketing team. We’re happy to take a look.
