How Do You Stay Top of Mind?

Small business owners often get the advice that they have to wait and build their relationship with customers before the customers are ready to buy. If they keep their name and services on top of people’s mind, they will be successful in the long run. How do companies stay on top of people’s minds? How can they ensure people will remember their company when the services are needed? At the Phoenix Fridays Leadership Power Hour of the B.O.S.S. Academy, experts provide ideas.

1. Social Media Content – While in the past, people would post about new products or services or events, today, people want other information. You can provide tips, engage your customers by asking questions they have to answer, run contests, or provide information and articles for them to digest. These posts do not produce an immediate response, but they keep your name in front of your potential customers. The clients appreciate that you don’t want to sell them something and just offer new ideas to ponder.
2. E-Mail Marketing – Like social media content, you could send a newsletter through the e-mail and provide tips or hints. You can update company news to your potential clients. Let people know about new services or products. You can give helpful hints to improve their health, business, wealth or lives. These are popular. Make sure the e-mail marketing is not an “in-your-face” sales pitch or you will get people to unsubscribe and let people know to avoid your company. E-mail marketing also is good to inform your clients of events you are hosting or attending.
3. Promotional Products – Spend some money having T-shirts made, pens, mugs or other promotional products. They are great for keeping customers top of mind. Every time they drink from a mug or use your pen, they are remembering you. When they need your services, they will look to your mug first. Give out these products when you are exhibiting at local or national events. Come up with new products periodically in case people already have your mugs or pens. Be unique in what you use. For example, if you are a dental office, you might want to have toothbrushes made with your name on it. You might want to give away measuring tapes if you are a home improvement company.
4. Don’t Forget Advertising – Many companies believe they don’t have to do any print marketing because everyone is using their phones or computers. This is not true. Older people do not search for things on their phones or computers. Some people don’t know about you unless they see an ad about it. Remember that the big companies advertise everywhere. If it didn’t work, they wouldn’t do it. If you are small, consider digital advertising and digital advertising associated with print publications. If you can afford a little more, consider advertising on television or radio, but don’t forget to do advertising when trying to keep your company in people’s minds.
5. Direct Mail – Some industries are successful using direct mail. Have you wondered why you get political postcards every day up to Election Day? The candidates know that you are seeing it and will keep their name in their heads when they are in the voting booth. As small business owners, you have to do this too. Keep people remembering you by using direct mail and sending them postcards about your products or services. They might not use you right away, but eventually, they will use you because they have seen your name in the mail.