Baiting the Hook for Successful Marketing

The things that take you by surprise...

Catching the first fish of the season. The Kentucky Derby. Senior proms. The smell of lilacs and fresh-cut grass. Softball practice. Jack in the pulpits. All the things we love about spring surround us. It’s time to enjoy the gifts we have been given – gifts we didn’t know we’d appreciate until they arrived.

Some businesses face the same predicament with their services: the customer knows nothing about them until a need arises. There are many examples, but home health care and home repair stand out. The astute marketer faces a difficult challenge here. How do you market a product if no one knows they need it until they REALLY need it? The answer lies in using the right bait for what you’re after. Here are some market-tested and proven techniques that can help you reel in the big one.

Unlock the power of networking.

Imagine that you own a roofing business and a massive windstorm tears through the state, ripping up shingles from home after home. When homeowners went to bed that night, they probably had no idea they would need a new roof in the morning. Suddenly, they’re desperate to find a professional with some shingles and nails.

They’ve never paid attention to your commercials before. Now they don’t have time to. They need a roofer immediately.

How can your company get their attention fast enough? The key is networking BEFORE your service is needed. An army of contacts and professionals in similar industries can help connect you with your prospective customers on short notice. For some networking know-how rules, check out how to “network like a boy scout” in this article by Merrily Orsini.

• Nothing speaks louder than community involvement. Don’t hesitate to be a part of something. Volunteer for local groups related to your industry, like Habitat for Humanity or the local Chamber of Commerce.

• Partner with other local businesses. If you’re a roofing company, contact other companies in your area: plumbers, electricians, construction companies, etc. Refer customers to them, and they’ll be likely to refer customers to you

Have a story to share with the media.

A tornado touching down in your community and ripping roofs off is bound to make waves in the local media. Print, online, radio and television journalists will be asking questions and interviewing frustrated homeowners. How much will repairs cost? How can homeowners protect themselves against scams? Does my home need only minor repairs, or will I have to get a new roof?

They have questions. You have answers. Why not offer yourself up as an expert? Consider appearing as a guest on the ABC affiliate’s noon show, or on the local radio talk show to share some of your insights. You’ll not only provide much-needed assurance during a difficult time, but you’ll also be shining the spotlight on your business. Viewers and listeners need expert help. Why not turn to you?

One thing to note: You have to act fast when contacting the media. Television and radio stations in particular act on an hour-by-hour basis. Guests are booked well in advance, so it’s best to call as soon as you see the event on the horizon. And, if you are smart, you will get your tips and handyman advice together early in the season for weather trouble so you are already in the news.

Click here for more tips on working with the media.

Make sure your Web site is on page one.

These days, consumers are conditioned to finding the information they need at the moment they need it. The Internet is a 24/7 virtual business referral source. You just need to make sure your company is at the head of the line to get those referrals. One way to get that job done is to make sure your Web site is at the top of any Google search. Paying careful attention to SEO – Search Engine Optimization – can help you identify keywords and other tricks of the trade to place your site at the top of the list.

Once they’ve found your site, consider how you want to introduce yourself to a customer-in-a-hurry. Since the need for your product or service often takes prospective customers by surprise, they likely know next to nothing about what you provide – and they won’t have a lot of time to learn. With that in mind, it’s best to have a “Frequently Asked Questions” or a “Roofing 101” page that gives visitors a crash course in your industry. Give them the basics – don’t expect them to be experts in your field.

Catch more fish by baiting the hook.

As we’ve noted, spring is a great time for fishing. Companies fish too – for customers. Some customers regularly go trolling for bait, while others dart about looking for bait out of necessity. It takes a skillful marketer to understand how to fish for both.

If you’d rather someone else do the fishing for you, why not call corecubed? Our marketing experts have the skills to bring in the catch. Whether you need an aggressive PR campaign to get the media’s attention, a monthly marketing communications program or a corporate rebranding strategy, corecubed can help you land that big fish.

MOSTSM for Medicare!
Now Available for Medicare Certified Agencies!
As a complement to our successful MOSTSM program which is targeted to non-medical home care or geriatric care managed home care agencies, corecubed now offers a marketing program ideal for Medicare certified home care agencies. This program utilizes some of the popular portions of the original robust program but targets the medical referral sources with issue-specific and program-specific email blasts/faxes. The goal is to educate as to a better understanding of making a Medicare referral one small learning task at a time. The program works hand in hand with a community liaison and provides a reason to visit monthly. Please contact MOSTSM at most@corecubed.com for further information if you are interested in our Medicare program.

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