Hardwood Floors October/November 2017

BUSINESS BEST PRACTICES MARKETING

UNDERSTANDING THE CUSTOMER JOURNEY: How to Build Customer Relationships that Last

can customize their approach at every stage to build long-term customer relationships. For simplicity, we’ll look at three phases before, during, and a er the sale and what you can do at each phase.

by which marketers seek to understand customers’ needs, goals, thoughts, feelings, opinions, expectations, and pain points at every touch point with your company. Armed with this information, marketers

starts before the sale and continues long a er. What is the customer journey? It’s the sum of all the experiences customers go through when interacting with your company. Journey mapping is a process

at’s why John Shepard, president of Carpet One in Panama City, Florida, keeps in touch with his customers through social media, postcards, newsle ers, and advertising. He knows the customer journey

Conventional wisdom says happy customers will keep coming back. While that may apply to restaurants and department stores, sales opportunities in wood ooring come years apart, rather than weeks or months.

BEFORE THE SALE Early on, prospects will probably visit your website. What do you want them to know? What do they want to know? How do you want them to feel? For retailers, the message might focus on a low-pressure atmosphere, competitive prices, or large selection. But no ma er what the message, you’ll want to set the stage before customers are ready to buy. What to do: • Make sure your website accurately reflects who you are and what you have to offer. What do you want your prospects to remember after visiting your site? • Know your brand and what makes you unique. What do you do differently or better than the competition? Is this reflected in your advertising? • For a consistent brand identity, use the same messages, fonts, colors, imagery, and logos in all communications. Can prospects tell your marketing materials from your competitors?

for some of the largest new homebuilders in Texas, the message will be di erent.

Their website focuses on these key benefits: 1. Supervisors who inspect every job before, during, and after installation 2. Consistent inventory to stabilize prices, minimize color variations, reduce lead times, and maintain availability

3. High-quality materials and premium finishes 4. Strong builder-manufacturer relationships 5. Programs to help contractors upsell

Flooring Services Manager Ken Ervin also knows contractors and their customers care about style and color. “Each of our approximately 55,000-square-foot showrooms is actually a

design gallery where homeowners can make all the selections for their new home. We also have companies that sell stone, blinds, lighting, stairs, and doors,” explains Ervin. “Each builder has a designer who helps their customers select everything from the brick outside their home to interior plumbing and cabinets.”

• Be consistent in how customers are greeted in person and on the phone. Is your staff trained to communicate your key selling points in 20 or 30 seconds? For a contractor-based business like Flooring Services who does turnkey work

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