I have been [tag]marketing[/tag] online since 1991. Over time, a lot of things have changed, but some remain constant year after year. And one that has stood the test of time is the [tag]list[/tag]. [tag]Mailing list[/tag]s, prospect lists, [tag]customer list[/tag]s – they remain the lifeblood of business on- and off-line.
Many a brick and mortar business has failed because they didn’t know who their customers were and didn’t maintain contact with them. They failed to keep basic customer records on the assumption that the customers would just keep coming back. Most of us have heard the rhyme:
For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.
Well, your customer list is the nail. And the kingdom is whatever your goal may be. In between are all the steps needed to get you from the idea to the goal. If you forget the nail, the downhill progression begins. At it doesn’t stop until you are at the bottom.
Every spring, baseball managers from the little leagues to the big leagues shout themselves hoarse convincing their players that they have to master the basics before they can master the game.
It is just as true in business – [tag]mastery of the basics[/tag] will take you to the stars, but neglect them and you will find yourself gasping for air as you sink into an ocean of chaos.
So before you do anything else this morning, take a few moments to think of the nail. Is your customer list up-to-date? Do you collect customer information at every available opportunity? Do you manage your customer information in a way that it can be put to profitable use? Do you use it?
Are you sending regular emails to your customers and prospects to keep them informed of sales or specials that you are running? Are you building your relationship with them by offering free, valuable content in your newsletter or blog? Are you asking them what you could in order to get more business from them?
Well, you’d better start because your competition will. Marketing, in a practical sense, is making sure that when your customers need your service, you are the first one they think about. And the first one they call. Many surveys have indicated that when a customer is ready to buy, they buy from the last supplier to make contact with them – unless they have a satisfactory relationship with a favored supplier – you!
My favorite online [tag]contact management system[/tag], run by aWeber, is in the process of upgrading the usability of their website and adding features to make managing your lists easier. I have seen a preview of the improvements and I am impressed.
Now is the time to fix your nail. If you have not yet started collecting information on visitors to your website or blog, you need to start right now, this minute. Visit the aWeber website and signup for the 30-day trial. Don’t fool around with your future – do it NOW.
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