The market is tight and sales are slow for nearly every industry right now. The economy is uncertain and consumer confidence is lagging. We’re hearing this loud and clear from our clients, both in the B2B and B2C spaces.
There is no magic bullet, quick fix for most businesses. While some segments can offer a unique promotion or sales incentive to move customers to act, that’s rare. Gimmicks are short-term tactics, and don’t create lasting value. More importantly, they don’t address the underlying issue.
How do you adjust your marketing and sales approach when consumer confidence is low? By leaning into what your customers desire: trust and relationships. Now is the time to go old-school. Here are some suggestions:
Personal Touches – Old-school customer service is all about personal touches. The phone call (not an email) to check in with a customer to find out if they are happy with the product or service. The hand-written thank-you note, or card on their birthday. Taking a few extra minutes to learn a bit about the customer. My favorite recent example – a sales clerk in an outdoor gear store who simply asked, “What are you up to today?” He listened to what we said, and it led to a fun conversation that had nothing to do with what the store sold. We made a purchase because it was a stand-out experience.
Pro tip – don’t use the personal touch as an excuse to make a sales call. If you’re calling a customer to thank them for their business, leave it at that. If you want them to know about a new product or service, then that’s the reason for the call. Trust is built with personal touches, but destroyed if the touch is a thinly disguised sales call.
Provide Value with Every Interaction – Personal touches nurture relationships, and good relationships lead to repeat business and powerful referrals. Look for opportunities to provide value with every interaction. Value doesn’t have to be monetary – it’s simply ensuring the other person feels like they gained something from the experience. That can be a smile, a tip, an expression of gratitude or information they will appreciate. It could be the bike shop calling a customer to tell them about a new trail that just opened.
Be Real – Plenty of companies are offering AI-driven lead generation and customer relationship tools. The appeal is clear – do more with fewer people, and let AI do the heavy lifting of emailing customers, responding to inquiries and even setting appointments. AI has its place, but savvy consumers recognize they are hearing from AI, not a real person. A computer can never replace the warmth of a smile, either in person or heard in someone’s voice over the phone. Use AI to be efficient, but not as a barrier between your company and your customers.
Chances are, what you’ve been doing has worked, and will continue to work, but with diminished returns. When times are tough, lean into your customers and convert them to fans and even loyal fanatics.
