Many of us make the mistake of seeing our first marketing jobs as an escape from customer service. Whether you started your own business, or find yourself working at a new company, it’s easy to fall into the belief that with your experience, your job is not to provide a pleasant experience, but to get the results your client is paying for.
That mindset will cost you everything.
When competition is higher than ever, especially when it comes to marketing, experience is everything. Often, clients will stay not for results, but for the service you provide.
Take a Look at Hospitality….
Hilton, Marriott, Holiday Inn or a local Airbnb: when you search any given location, no matter how small, you’re likely bombarded with a laundry list of room options. Trying to compete on price is rarely the best option, not when budget motels have a fraction of your costs, so what do you do?
Sell yourself as a premium experience.
Guests aren’t looking for a place to crash for the night, they’re looking for a glimpse into a lifestyle. They want their movie moment, a place so remarkable they can’t help but rave to their friends, and post aesthetic pool-side pictures to their Instagram.
The result? The people they share their lives with aren’t going to bother with that initial search. They’ll believe their friend, and book with you, first.
The Same Applies to You.
When you’re running campaigns, you’re not just selling them a certain number of leads: you’re selling them their dreams. Of being a great entrepreneur, of expanding their business for the lifestyle they want.
We’ve all encountered businesses that excel at making us feel like royalty. Coffee shops where the barista remembers our orders, or a boutique that brings you champagne while you browse. They often become our go-to. Even if that boutique rarely has our size, we come in and pick up a hat or watch because we simply enjoy being in that space.
You have the ability to provide that to your customer base.
So, What Will It Take?
The best way to start optimizing your customer service is to take a look at the hospitality playbook. The industry that is built on experience has a simple list of rules to ensure every guest ends their stay with the best possible opinion.
- Take “no” out of your vocabulary. When faced with an unusual request, don’t make excuses- find a way to make it happen, or find something even better to replace it.
- Customize, optimize, and innovate! Clients crave to feel you care about them individually, not just their retainer payments. Customizing your service, without needing to be asked, is a great way to prove you’re going beyond due diligence.
- Resolve with speed. At Attention Grabbing Media, one of our core values is speed. It’s written on the wall, that anything we do, we do with speed. When a problem arises, your client should never be the first to notice it. Texts should not be responded to within a business day, they should be responded to within an hour.
- Connect and empathize. Words matter. Empathy is one of the strongest tools you have in your marketing toolbox. In the same way you’d research your target audience, create your customer avatar, tailor your words and actions to each individual client. Some prefer short texts, dislike small talk, and cancel meetings with any excuse possible. Others, if you don’t ask about their children’s science fair project, nothing productive will be done. In service, it’s your job to speak to your clients how they want to be spoken to. Learn, adapt, and act accordingly.
- Transparency above even results. Your client wants to know where their money is going. Consistent communication and open transparency is the fastest way to build trust. Explain your strategies when asked, show the process of your deliverables, and be open to feedback.
Does This Really Matter If I’m Getting The Results They Want?
Would you go to a coffee shop even if the barista was rude to you? No matter how good the coffee is? Maybe you’d drop by- but you certainly wouldn’t linger, buy a croissant and recommend it to a friend. All opportunities for upsales are wiped away by a rude interaction.
Even more important- what happens if you find a new cup of coffee that tastes the same? Now you have no reason to stay. You might even resent having ever gone, and warn your friends away. Never go to that coffee shop, go to this one instead.
The same applies to your marketing services. No matter how good you are, you will struggle to upsell, and to retain clients, if you focus only on your results. There are thousands of options out there.
Are you providing service worth staying for?
