Yesterday, we discussed marketing touch points and what they mean to your field service business. In case you missed the article, you can read it here. Touch points are key connectors between you and your customers, so it only makes sense that the message behind the touch point be of high value.
Marketing expert, Mike Ratchford, discussed what kind of messages you want to communicate with your customers in the recent HVACChannel.tv program, Marketing Your Touch Points. You can view the entire program here. For today’s post, we are going to focus mainly on the message of the touch point.
Here are a few of Ratchford’s tactics when it comes to the message of your touch point:
Consistency – Your message must be consistent. Inconsistency not only confuses customers, it also turns them off. I received a flyer this past weekend advertising a free oil change from a local automotive shop. When I called to make an appointment, no one answered and the answering machine said they were closed. On the flyer, however, their hours stated they should have been open when I called. Is this a life changing event worth being upset over? No. But it is still frustrating when you want to basically give a business your money and they can’t get their ducks in a line. Be sure each of your touch points conveys the same message. Keep your website, trucks, work shirts, etc. updated. Sometimes these little inconsistencies can be enough for a customer or potential customer to give up on your before they even buy from you.
Communicating Missions – Your mission as a company should never change. This is what you strive to do time and time again. Perhaps it’s the promise to be on time, every time. Or maybe your company commits to solving an issue within 24 hours. Whatever they may be, you as an owner, must work to ensure your mission never fails. Missions are things that can be posted under company logos, on websites, and left on your voicemail. These are things that should be reiterated throughout your company and to your customers on the regular.
Communicating Visions – Unlike the missions of a company, the visions of the company do change. Visions, in a sense, are goals for your company. They are what you hope to reach, but are never static because you should never stop trying to grow or succeed as a business. An example would be to grow from having zero maintenance contracts to 100. Obviously once you reach 100 you won’t just give up trying. Visions can be displayed to customers through touch points pretty easily. If you do want more contracts, display on your truck or on flyers that you now offer service contracts.
So to recap, when coming up with your touch points message there are three things you should be sure of:
The most important is to be consistent.
- Keeping things consistent keeps them simple and easy.
- This makes it simpler and easier for customers to work with you.
- Missions should never change because you should strive for them every day.
- Missions set a good foundation for what your company culture can rest on.
- Displaying missions through your touch points are a good way to show what your company stands for and stands behind.
Create new visions.
- Visions should be changing as your company grows and changes.
- Display visions in your touch points.
- If you want to sell more of a certain service, then promote that service more frequently on the web and on your trucks.