Concern is on the rise, especially as COVID-19 cases spike throughout the U.S. “Is it safe to go to (fill in name of business)? Are they following proper cleaning protocols?” (What ARE the proper cleaning protocols? A lack of federal mandates around reopening businesses has further complicated the issue.)

This means that, as a business owner, the onus is on you. 

➜Need help putting these messages into action?  

We can help.

Our study revealed that hearing from a company directly can greatly greatly impact a customer’s comfort level. In short- they need to hear from YOU.

But keep in mind you are talking to 2 distinctly different groups:

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Those who can’t wait to come back (ready-to-go)
                     2. Those who need some reassurances before they will spend at your establishment (assurance seekers)

                   

From our research with returning customers, we have created a messaging cheatsheet.

Here’s some guidance to help you home-in on the right Welcome Back message for your audience.

Assurance seekers want to see directive signs: what should you do after trying on a pair of shoes? Put them back on the rack? Give them to an associate to be properly cleaned first? They want to see that you are taking customer’s safety seriously and guiding them.

On the other hand, people deemed “ready-to-go” do not need as detailed messages. They want to hear that unlike many businesses, you are open again and further that you’ve got their back, all they have to do is enjoy.

At an unprecedented time like this, more communication is always better. Share your plans, procedures, and expectations upfront to address concerns. Surround your customers with “Welcome Back” messages that ease their mind. 

Every business is unique. We can help you fine-tune these messages for your audience. Reach out➜

*Photo by Artem Beliaikin on Unsplash – Image from Bali, Indonesia

We do this all day long. Here are our learnings for making that critical connection with your prospect.
Remember: they are human just like you. So channel THAT.

“What you think is intuitive may actually be counterintuitive to your audience.  So you need to test and test again.”

1)  Question assumptions – ask yourself what are the assumptions you are making about your offering and your customers? How have you validated/invalidated those assumptions?

“There were aspects of the product that we thought would be, by far, the most impactful and effective, but the way in which we presented them turned them into a negative. And one of these instances was right at the start of the presentation, which turned people off from the start.”

2)  Customer, you are not (repeat in Yoda voice) – where do businesses often go wrong with how they communicate with their customers? Typically, it’s thinking that what you think about your company and your offering is the same as what the customer thinks.

“You’ve got to understand that you and the people that create these products are not your audience. What you think is intuitive may actually be counterintuitive to your audience. So you need to test and test again.”

The client also found that a do-it-yourself calculator tool, was too complicated for most people to use. A more effective alternative was creating a personalized statement for each contributor that clearly laid out all the financial details in a more visually understandable layout. The feedback from the testing directly fed the development of a “document on demand” tool that generated the type of personalized statements that effectively made the case for the contributors.

3)  Don’t simply rinse and repeat – how many times have you fallen into the trap of doing something just because that’s always how it’s been done. Well, if sales are through the roof, then it’s probably good not to muck up the works. But if you’re not seeing results, then it’s time to buck convention.

“Retirement services groups, like ours, fall into the trap of getting too comfortable with how things have been done in the past—even when we know what we do is not working. Here’s a situation where we decided to try something completely unorthodox and see how it measured up to the status quo.”

The other was a test approach that utilized an unconventional meeting, incorporating elements designed to create a relaxed environment with a focus on helping participants better understand the need for retirement planning and create a vision of what their retirement could be.

4)  Get “testy” – If you’re asking yourself if now would be a good time to test your sales pitch and messaging, then the answer is yes. Products and services evolve. Your customers’ needs change. The market is dynamic. So, regular testing of your sales presentations, pitches and messaging is the only way to keep pace.