Do you ever play “I am my customer”?

Last week I was in a real estate office waiting to speak with a realtor friend about doing a workshop for her group on the social media programs they want to test.
The owner is smart and knows the value of relationships, so I was enthusiastic when I got there. But not for long.

The receptionist asked me to take a seat and wait. I did, and casually asked how her day was going. “Okay” she said and turned away. She didn’t want to chat with me or, apparently, with the person who called on the phone a minute later, asked a few questions and got curt answers, too.

This could have been the best real estate agency in South Florida, with a great brand and outstanding marketing programs – but it would all have been for naught where the rubber meets the road - when the prospect meets the receptionist. Don’t let this happen to you.

Try setting up your own secret shopper program. Ask a friend or two who’ve never visited your office to drop by as if they were prospects and report on their impressions. Visit your website as if you’d never seen it before (ask your friends to do this, too, and listen to their feedback). This will give you a fresh perspective on your personality, voice and brand and help you to make strategic changes in advertising and on Twitter and Facebook. Maybe even in personnel.

It’s important to make sure that prospects and clients get treated like good friends at every touchpoint.

I’m always talking about CRM, Customer Relationship Marketing, and about how to build friendships with your prospects and customers. It’s a major consideration even before you launch any kind of marketing.

Let me know if you are interested in a workshop at your office or perhaps a lunchtime speech: Click here

All the best,
Lois