10 Ways TechCEOs Can Engage With Market Now
Last week we shared how TechCEOs can respond to the Covid-19 event and take control of your business. This week we will cover how you can find ways to stay active and in touch with your clients and community at large.
In an effort to help out TechCEOs, we’ve compiled some creative strategies for keeping your clients engaged and connected during this time. As you start thinking about how you can best use these, it’s important to remember that while your business stability may be front of mind for you, many people are facing physical, emotional, and financial strain at this time. Communicate with care, consider how you can help your audience feel valued, and be intentional in your approach.
Strategies
1. Be more than a business.
Brands can generate loyalty through their value and meaning and connect with clients beyond transactions. Many brands have adapated to Covid-19 crisis by pooling their resources to support communities they serve. In terms of brand positioning, this can propel a company’s profile and brand values to resonate with existing and future customers. If you can contribute to your community – you are the best.
2. Listen.
Listen. Now more than ever, it’s important to know what customers feel and do, and why. Set voice of the customer (VoC) programs to listen for references to COVID-19 or other shifts. If it’s your existing customer call them and talk to them. Send in a short survey if your patch is broad based.
3. Use social listening tools to listen even more.
Use social listening tools to monitor customer discussions about health concerns or information needs relevant to your brand. Ask sales and account management teams what they hear from the front lines. Monitor customer care emails, phone calls and service chats for changes in concerns or sentiment. You can also use tools like Hootsuite to do the same.
4. Engage with empathy.
TechCEOs must support customers and protect customer relationships while staying honest about what the firm can and cannot deliver at this time. Be careful about taking actions that provide short-term stability (or gain) for the firm at the expense of customer trust.
5. Manage your commitments.
Set realistic expectations about service levels, product launch dates, product availability, and so on. Review your market segment and Ideal customer profile. If you are selling into travel industry it is time to pull back and bit and re-direct energy to sell into other industry segments. Consider pulling campaigns for products you can’t be sure you can produce and deliver. Evaluate current policies and consider rational changes — for example, allowing cancellations or extending payment terms.
6. Ramp up digital delivery of everything.
Promote apps and other mobile tools and services. Ramp up capacity for remote delivery of services, online transactions and digital interactions. Innovate ways to deliver your product or aspects of it online. Yet, even as you enable digital options, understand that some people will always need to hear an empathetic human voice, especially now, and be prepared to offer it.
7. Optimise marketing spend.
The next three to six months will bring many societal changes that trickle down to the marketing plan. Use the best-, worst- and moderate-case scenarios to anticipate possible and likely changes and take alternative actions. Don’t stop marketing. Change strategy and approach marketing differently. If you are out of sight you will miss the bus when the market bounces back.
8. Increase your social media presence.
Your customers are already on social media, but these days, they are likely checking in much more frequently to get the latest updates on the virus. Whether you’re posting about the virus specifically or trying to offer light, positive content to help take people’s minds off the panic, it can be helpful to increase your posting frequency to ensure you are showing up in their news feeds.
9. Deliver great content.
More people will be spending more time at home over the coming months. Brands can provide lighthearted and uplifting or informative and encouraging content to people looking for support. You can provide them content that helps them think more, adjust their business models & response, think through new products & services, alternative market segments and tips on how to house keep in these times.
10. Help them engage differently.
Offer them new ideas that can help them engage differently with their customers. Provide solutions that will address a need in this market. Your clients will greatly appreciate your offer and thinking prowess to help them engage with clients during tough times.
P.S.Whenever you’re ready… here are 3 ways I can help you grow your tech business:
1. Grab a free copy of useful stuff that can help you grow your tech business. More in our blog.
10 Steps TechCEOs Can Take Now to Bounce Back Click here.
Should Tech firms consider Re-Branding to Drive New Demand – Click here.
Do TechCEOs Get ROI from Marketing Click here.
3 Mistakes to Avoid In Your Tech Business To Grow Revenue Click here.
2. Schedule a 15 Minute assessment call with us – Click here.
We have worked with a bunch of tech companies and have offered them systems, strategies and coaching to attract and convert clients. We help you install sales and marketing systems that automate stuff and help flood leads and drive higher revenues and margins. Talk to us.
3. Join our TechCelerate Implementation Program and be a Case Study
I’m putting together a new coaching case study group at TechCelerate this month… stay tuned for details. If you’d like to work with us on your client-getting and scale plans… just reply to this message and put “Case Study” in the subject line.
Life is short. Take action now and grow. Best Wishes.