I bought a bar of soap and had a lightbulb moment!
Nope, I am not going into soapmaking but purchasing the bar made me realise that I was getting something very wrong in my own business.
Let me explain…….
One of the things I love to do is help other business owners to grow by using email marketing. One of the ways I do this is by offering low-cost workshops.
So, what has that got to do with soap?
Everything and nothing! Here are a few relevant facts about me that you won’t know:
- I love handmade soap.
- I love that it tends to be good for the skin and the environment.
- I love the anticipation of trying a new bar.
- I love how it feels when I hold a brand-new bar in my hand. …. I could go on but I’m sure you get the picture!
- I am a soapmaker’s dream customer!
But no soapmaker is going to know that until they talk to me, watch my face light up as I examine their products, listen to my concerns about my skin and so on.
One Saturday I popped up to Cirencester and visited a craft market.
Much to my delight, I found a soapmaker.
Before I had even sniffed anything the stall holder talked AT me and he didn’t stop!
He didn’t ask me one single question, not one!
He needed to know if I was buying for me or someone else, the skin type of the recipient, what challenges that person faced with their skin if any, what sort of smells that person liked and loads more.
But he didn’t find any of that out because he didn’t pause for breath.
He didn’t think to ask.
I felt like he didn’t care (which was probably not true).
I bought a bar. I would have bought more but my brain couldn’t cope with the barrage so I left.
A few days later I remembered to use it and was delighted.It ticked every box for me and it smelled divine on my skin and fragranced the room, which was a bonus!
I wanted more.
But ….
I had thrown the box away.
He didn’t give me a card.
He didn’t ask me to sign up to hear from him.
I couldn’t remember the business name.
He didn’t know I was his ideal customer because he hadn’t seen me as a long-term prospect, just a one-off sale.
And he let me go with no means of finding him unless I went back.
I’m not local to Cirencester so I don’t know when that will be.
So, what should he have done?
- He should have asked me a few pertinent questions to gauge my level of interest.
- He should have directed me to the correct products for my skin type.
- He should have found out where I was based.
- He should have directed me to the website or given me a card so I could buy more.
- If I wasn’t local he should have asked if I would be interested in signing up for their newsletter so I could learn more and perhaps get some special offers. I would have done it in a heartbeat!
It was obvious I liked the products, well, it would have been if he had looked and listened!
But none of that happened. He just let me walk away with one bar!
Now I have a bar of soap that I love and will have to spend time looking for the company.
This may or may not happen.
I’m pretty busy!
So, what was my lightbulb moment?
I have been promoting my courses by saying things like “if you plan to use email marketing to promote your business” but I haven’t been properly explaining why you should.
This story above is why you should. If someone is interested enough to buy from you once the chances are they will again. Don’t let them get away,
Whether you are a product or service-based business ask yourself these questions:
- Once a person has left my shop/stall/website how can I get them back?
- How can I share your new products with people who buy from me?
- How can I make sure people remember me and buy from me rather than my competitors?
- How can I best help and serve my customers and potential customers?
- How hard is it to find my business if I haven’t given someone a card?
- How can I stop customers from going to a competitor?
- Do I want repeat business or one-off sales?
- What difference would repeat sales make to my business?
Using email as part of your marketing strategy reduces the chances of your customers forgetting you and going to your competitors because:
- You are reminding them each month that you are there for them.
- You make them feel special by sharing relevant products and services with them.
- You can become seen as an expert by sharing your knowledge.
- You get to know your customers and when you know what they want you are better placed to serve them.
When that happens, this happens:
- Your sales increase.
- People talk about you because we naturally share what we love with those we care about.
- Your website traffic increases because you are sending people there.
- You position yourself as an expert in your field so trust increases and when trust increases so does sales.
- Business grows.
- Magic happens!
Don’t be that soapmaker!
I know you will want to sign up now you’ve read that story, you can do that here
Contact me here if you would like to schedule a call to discuss your email marketing or if you are thinking of working with a virtual assistant.
