Comments on: Marketing Through the Transaction

By: Lacy

Lacy — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 17:28:29 +0000

Great tips for acquiring and keeping customers. Another hotel example: before my arrival to a hotel, I got an email asking if I needed directions, dinner reservations, a rental car, etc. Once I got to the hotel, all of my requests were taken care of. The minute I checked my email after checking out of the hotel, I received a personalized email thanking me for choosing their hotel. These three steps guaranteed this hotel my business whenever I return to that city. Personalization and going above and beyond definitely help customers feel appreciated and wanting to return to your business.

By: Bill

Bill — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 22:48:02 +0000

Great advice. We always follow up two weeks after we install our product.

By: Joe

Joe — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 21:14:48 +0000

>>So, how could you turn your sales transactions and customer service functions into proactive marketing functions?<<

FWIW, I think a better term for step 2 is “closing the sale”. How to better market during step 3? I think the key is great customer service after the sale. Easy to say, hard to do. Anticipate what your customer needs and deliver it. This is the essence of your Marriott example. If you cannot deliver on some element customers commonly ask for, try to inform the customer during Step 1 or 2 of any limitations upon your customer service or product (i.e., manage customer expectations).

By: Small Business Entrepreneur

Small Business Entrepreneur — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 12:51:42 +0000

This is good advice. I just got a “welcome back” email from expedia after a short trip away. It made me feel wanted. On the email were of course links to book another trip but also to fill out my experiences so they could create a kind of tripadvisor rating system.

Good for me and good for them.

By: MarketingTwins-Randy

MarketingTwins-Randy — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 11:16:37 +0000

I’ll rat on the big Starbucks folks on this one – from a negative. The other evening I was out with a friend and *GASP* paid CASH for my frappacino (I brought with me a $5 bill and left my wallet and debit card in my truck). I got to the line and the cashier said, “$4.01, please.” I stared at her thinking surely she’ll offer “oh, I’ll take off that penny to make it even.” I then even *GASP* made the suggestion of such. She seemed dumbfounded and said, “I’d have to ask my manager and she’s out right now.” All of that over a penny.

Oh, sure, I’ll return to Starbucks. But it’s amazing how that you get so big and popular that you forget to enhance that “we have a new customer in the family” feeling. Or do things that entice people “to be a part of our family”. It’s easy to just go about the business in doing transaction after transaction after transaction.

Where’s “Need a Penny Take a Penny” when I needed it!

By: web Content

web Content — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 10:20:44 +0000

This is the sort of thing that gives your clients/customers a special feeling about dealing with you, gives them a little more faith in you and what you’re doing..

By: Linda P. Morton

Linda P. Morton — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 06:57:38 +0000

One basic way to take care of buying customers in Internet marketing is to transfer buyers to another list.

I can’t count the times that I’ve bought a digital product and then received multiple emails trying to sell me that same product.

It’s not that difficult to use an “if, then” to transfer buyers to another list. Then use email follow-ups to help buyers to get the most from their purchase.

By: LindaBusiness

LindaBusiness — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:32:54 +0000

To me it’s that whole “value added” element that separates one business from another.