JVI Mobile Marketing
Customer Service That Helps You Stand Out Among Your Competitors

Customer Service That Helps You Stand Out Among Your Competitors

Oct 17, 2022 | Uncategorized

"My customers appreciate the excellent quality, customer service, and attention to detail that I provide. If only more people were aware of my existence…but my industry is so competitive that it's impossible to stand out." This is the most common issue we hear from business owners. It's also been a challenge for us.

So let's get right into it. If you're wondering how to get more eyes on your business, we're sharing  our best ideas you can try to stand out in a sea of samesies.

Surprise & Delight With Your Customer Service

So many businesses claim to provide the best service. When you ask them how they can improve, they list things like "delivering on time" or "delivering quality work." Personally, I consider these to be standard operating procedures; I expect them.

When you have a surprisingly good or surprisingly bad customer service experience, you are more likely to remember it. However, mediocre service is unlikely to stick with you long enough for you to tell anyone about it.

Businesses that stand out are those that make you feel like your satisfaction is always their top priority. They actively seek ways to go above and beyond, turning challenges or mistakes into opportunities to delight.

Don't settle for mediocrity. If you want to be memorable, go above and beyond with your marketing and customer service—every time. Would someone tell their friends about your customer service experience?  Use that as a general rule.

Make a Name for Yourself

Have you ever heard the expression "the riches are in the niches"? It's much easier to stand out and become known for one, very specific thing than it is to try to sell everything to everyone. Your competitors are fewer in a niche market, your marketing dollars can be spent more strategically, and you can often charge more because you're a specialist.

Are you the best pet photographer in town? Do you make an awesome vegan pizza? Focus, claim, and own it.

Provide Noticeably Different Customer Service

It is our responsibility as business owners to be able to confidently tell potential customers why we are worth their time and money. When there is nothing distinctive or distinguishing about your products, services, or brand, price becomes the only variable. And, if the only differentiating factor is price, we become magnets for bargain hunters looking for the best bang for their buck.

Stand out by identifying areas where you can provide value that your competitors cannot, or by addressing customer pain points that your competitors are not. When you look deeper, you'll discover that there are far more opportunities to stand out than you realize.

Take Customer Service Feedback Seriously & Apply It

Too often, we assume what our customers want and need instead of asking them.

Collecting customer feedback can help you identify potential product and service offerings that your customers want but that you aren't yet providing. It can also assist you in determining where your customers are confused or require additional assistance. Feedback also provides insight into the words and phrases your customers are using to describe their problems, which will help you assist them.

You'll be able to truly get to know your customers and how you can better serve them if you survey them. If you follow their advice, you'll be able to understand what they consider to be exceptional customer service, must-have products, clear marketing, and much more.

Give the Impression You Care

Your brand’s visuals are your the first impression of your company and sets the tone for interactions with you. You want them to say-  “Wow! I'd love to work with this brand,” not “If this is how their website looks, how will the quality of their work or service be?”

If your website, logo, or marketing materials are sloppy, it tells your customers that you don't value your brand enough to invest in it. If you're just starting out or don't have a lot of money to spend, there are designers to suit every budget and business type.

Make your brand stand out by ensuring that it’s professional and trustworthy at all touchpoints. Check out how we have used bright colors and enticing fonts to drive the eye towards our logo for Meet the Experts!

Give (and Receive)

Building trust with your target audience takes time and, in many cases, multiple interactions. Asking someone for a sale is the business equivalent of asking for their hand in marriage, and shotgun weddings are relatively rare. If the 'marriage proposal' fails, ask them out on a date instead—consider offering a free trial, sample, information (blogs, videos, PDFs), or a free initial consultation to reduce risk perceptions, create goodwill, and build your relationship.

When we give generously to potential customers, we break down barriers, attract people to our business, assist our customers in getting to know us, build trust, and foster reciprocity.

Reward Loyal Customers

"Repeat buyers generate the same revenue as five new customers combined and are nine times more likely to convert," says the study. (Autopilot).

Yes, existing customers are just as important and valuable to impress as new ones (if not more). Consider differentiating yourself from the competition by rewarding their loyalty with discounts, incentives, exclusive deals, affiliate programs, or referrer bonuses.

Your company's success is directly related to the customers who patronize it. Treat them like royalty and create new ways to wow them in order to stand out in your industry. Click here for more quick conversion tips!

So now that you have the framework for customer service success, we want to help you more with your marketing needs! Meet with Jay Vics on the Meet the Experts podcast to get your name out there, and put your marketing skills to the test. We want to help show your customers what you have to offer!

How COVID-19 Changed Small Business Marketing

How COVID-19 Changed Small Business Marketing

Nov 8, 2021 | Content Marketing

small business marketing needed for owner suffering from lack of customers due to pandemic

How COVID-19 Changed Small Business Marketing

By now, I think it’s safe to say that we’re all sick of talking about the pandemic. Most of us would gladly go back to a simpler time where there were no masks requirements, where businesses and restaurants were open for business as usual — and you could go about marketing your small business as usual.

But we still are living in crazy times. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in changes to advertising, marketing, and promotional campaigns for small businesses around the globe.

From brick-and-mortar, mom-and-pops to international brands, companies have needed to re-evaluate their approach to marketing to adapt to the ‘new normal.

Not to mention the minefield of policies that small businesses now face in the arena of paid promotion; The FTC, CFPB, and FDA have all honed in on unfair and deceptive business practices to protect vulnerable consumers, monitor bold marketing campaigns, and terminate COVID-19 scams from online platforms.

Impact of COVID-19 on Small Business Marketing

Adapting to Change

Small businesses should be up to the challenge: thinking about innovative marketing strategies and practices that don’t alienate their customers by appearing tone-deaf.

Further, ensuring operations are seamless and campaign planning is flawless in a new commercial world of uncertainty and promoting products and services that meet your customer’s new needs & desires in a post-pandemic world.

More crucially so, with the States condemned to a rollercoaster of opens and closes, advertising spending has decreased dramatically in 2021 as physical stores shut their doors and deliveries come to a halt.

So what does marketing look like for a small business nowadays?

Social Media: More Important than ever

Your budget for marketing your small business should directly reflect the shift in the way customers shop and find you online. As restrictions were put in place across the US – public and print advertising came to a near-instantaneous halt.

In the meantime, in-home media usage went up, including:

  • TV viewership
  • Streaming services
  • Social platforms

And per a study by GWI, 45 percent of global consumers are devoting more time to social media, and video streaming has increased by 25 percent. Why is this data crucial to the survival of small businesses?

It’s critical that a small business now seeks to optimize its marketing practices to better reflect this rise in the online presence of its customers, digital transactions, and entertainment choices. If you know your demographic has been using Facebook more during the pandemic, you know how your Q3 & 4 2021 marketing roadmap should look. Further, the number of consumers using online food delivery services and essential goods delivery solutions has risen dramatically. Customers are online, now more than ever – because it’s essential.

Being Human has never mattered more

Consumer demand for empathy on behalf of businesses and brands is at an all-time high during the COVID-19 pandemic. The small businesses that will continue to thrive in 2021 will be those that try their best to promote in a human manner and communicate with customers on an emotional level, understanding their pain points.

Yes, if you’re like many, you may be growing tired of hearing about COVID-19, but that doesn’t mean your small business should ignore it. In a survey conducted by Kantar, 77% of consumers said they now want to see online content from businesses to show ‘how you’re helping people get used to the new everyday life.’ But how can we achieve this with our small business marketing?

  • Seek to build long-term trust.
  • Educate customers about your own struggles as a small business.
  • Engage with your audience through more personal means than simple ads.
  • Entertain your audience when they need it most!

Email at the forefront

small business marketing can be achieved through emails

If emails don’t currently form a part of your small business marketing strategy, now is the time to change that. If you’ve established a keen database of current/past/potential future customers, email marketing is an incredibly cost-effective, powerful tool to market your business during the pandemic. No leaving the house, no physical locations – just old-fashioned digital. Plus, email marketing historically provides some of the most asymmetrical positive returns in the business world. It’s too cheap and too effective.

As we said, we can’t ignore COVID-19. While updates are important, they shouldn’t be the only focus of your emails (especially if it’s sent to customers you want to sell to!)

Here are some COVID-19-friendly email campaigns to add to your mix in 2021.

  • Newsletters – Want a laid-back, friendly way of keeping your customers in the loop about your business? Newsletters are the way forward. Think: promotions, deals, one-time offers, discounts – and virtual/physical event dates to grow your business. On top of that, you can tick the ‘human’ box by doing a few simple things; Feature local news stories, share social media updates, and get customers involved in quizzes and prize surveys.
  • Offer help to your customers – Depending on the nature of your business, you might be able to offer your help to the community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Do you have connections in the business space that can help your customer? Are you running a fundraising campaign for local equipment/vaccine centers? If you can provide any support to your audience, you’ll want to set up email campaigns to reflect these plans.
  • Business as usual emails – Strike the balance between being COVID-friendly and Business-friendly emails! Remember: you’re running an operation here, and it’s probably your livelihood. Just exercise caution with the language you use in marketing your small business: people want empathy this year and sympathy for their current circumstances (and they still want you to sell to them!)

What’s stayed the same?

Yes, COVID-19 has caused a seismic shift in small businesses marketing. But there remain some consistencies to approach. Don’t just start over from scratch after this article!

Your Customers Still Like Your Ads

Earlier, we mentioned a study on sentiment done by Kantar. Per the same brand’s other COVID-19 Barometer survey, 8% of consumers believe that brands should stop advertising during the pandemic. As we said, it’s a minefield out there, and some businesses are concerned about offending their customers or community. But this data gives you the green light to go wild.

This will also resonate well with the market because people want normalcy back. They want the ‘old way of life back pre-COVID-19, and that means ads. It means billboards, great TV ads, and physical shopping.

Data is still King

Data hasn’t changed. If your business isn’t paying attention to data to drive decisions and establish marketing strategies, you’re missing out on a great deal of money and growth.

You can collect data in their CRMs to create better visions of your customer and create powerful marketing campaigns using social media content and ads. Using what information you generate with those campaigns, come back stronger with an even more resonant message.

The customer is still at the heart

How many emails have you received from small businesses, companies, or brands that start with ‘During these difficult times’ or something similar? It’s getting old. Business customers are blind to empty words like this and are finding it harder and harder to connect.

You still need to put the customer first. The pandemic is no longer a shock or something to transition into: it’s reality. Deliver helpful, meaningful, and engaging content. Solve the customer’s issues by talking to them and finding out how you can help.

Ultimately, the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed a majority of small businesses as having little-to-no marketing strategies. If you’re one of them, that’s great – you won’t have to start fresh. If you find yourself shouting at the wind with no success, it’s time to build a pandemic-friendly marketing strategy that resonates with an audience that’s gotten to grips with a new world. Finally, there’s never been a greater opportunity for small businesses to engage with customers at such an intimate level.

Do you need help marketing your small business? Fill out this form so we can reach out to you!

The Future of Video Marketing: How to Use Facebook Live to Engage and Entertain Customers

The Future of Video Marketing: How to Use Facebook Live to Engage and Entertain Customers

Sep 12, 2017 | Facebook, Video Marketing

Why Your Business Needs Video Marketing

Video marketing is a powerful way to connect with customers. A well-made video can be entertaining, informative and very engaging. It can allow you to provide valuable information to your customers. Video is one of the most shareable forms of online content, too, which makes it ideal for many businesses who know they can count on their customers to be brand ambassadors and share the video on social media.

Like everything else online, the world of video marketing is evolving. While you can still upload videos to your YouTube channel and share them online, there’s also a new kid in town – live video. One of the most accessible options, which allows companies to fully integrate video marketing into their Facebook marketing, is Facebook Live.

What Is Facebook Live?

Facebook Live is a video streaming option that Facebook began rolling out in select markets in 2015. First available to businesses and people with verified accounts, as of early 2016 it is available to anybody who has the Facebook iOS app.

While there are other live streaming options available, such as Meerkat and Periscope, Facebook Live does have some things that make it unique:

  • Unlike Periscope videos, the video is saved and will be available to you and your customers as long as you leave it on your page.
  • It’s very easy to use – all you need to do is click the video icon at the top of your page and start recording.
  • As you record, you can see a count of how many people are watching as well as comments from viewers, making it truly interactive.
  • After you are done streaming, you can share the video on your website, blog, or even on other social media accounts.

Perhaps the most important benefit of Facebook Live is that it is free. Because it lends itself to “talking head” videos, you don’t need to spend much on production.

Load your business with 5 star reviews

Creative Ideas for Using Facebook Live

As you might imagine, there are dozens of ways that you can use Facebook Live to engage your customers. Here are some that you may want to consider.

  1. Unveil a new product. Do you create your own products? Are you getting a much-anticipated product in your store? A great way to build buzz and show what you have to offer is to launch a live video and show people instead of telling them. For example, if you have a boxed product, you might choose to do an unboxing video. An apparel store might reveal a new item of clothing and then have a model come out to show viewers what it looks like on a real person.
  2. Do a product demonstration. This is an especially good option if your product has multiple potential uses. For example, the owner of a craft supply store might decide to do a demo showing five different ways to use a particular product. It’s a good way to sell products by showing people their versatility.
  3. Are you offering an in-store class or event? Consider streaming it live so that people who are unable to attend in person can see it online. You can even create an event page on Facebook and invite people to sign up to attend. Facebook will send reminders about the event to increase the chances that people will remember to watch when the time comes.
  4. If you are speaking at a conference or event, ask the event’s organizers if you can film your speech. If they agree, all you need to do is mount your phone nearby or ask someone to use your phone to film you. As long as your speech is less than 90 minutes, you can stream it on Facebook.
  5. Have a Q & A session with your customers. One thing that consumers crave is personal attention from the businesses they patronize. Why not use live video to encourage questions and comments? This can be especially helpful if you offer a service because it gives you an opportunity to provide valuable information that might help a customer who’s on the fence make the decision to buy.
  6. Take a customer poll. Are you wondering what people think of your products, or what kind of content readers want to see on your blog? Instead of guessing, ask them. Go live on Facebook and ask direct questions of your viewers. They can post their responses in the comments, giving you the opportunity to have a real give-and-take with them – and ideas for future blog posts and videos.
  7. Are you an artisan? Do you make your own products? If you do, Facebook Live is the perfect medium to give customers a behind-the-scenes look at what you do and how you do it. Even if your process is too long or involved to demonstrate in a single video, you can show different stages of production or talk about your creative process. When people understand what goes into making a product, they may have a greater interest in buying it than they did before.
  8. If you have posted a particularly provocative or controversial blog post, use Facebook Live to read it out loud and get people to talk to you about it. You can encourage people to leave comments on the video and respond on air as you see fit.
  9. Do an interview with someone interesting in your industry. For example, if you own a book store and you have an author in your store, why not ask if you can film a short interview and stream it on Facebook? You can also have someone interview you if you prefer.

As you can see, Facebook Live is incredibly versatile for video marketing. It’s a way of making customers feel that they are personally connected with you even when you are miles away. It can help build brand loyalty and increase sales. Best of all, it’s a free form of marketing and one that – in the end – requires very little of your time and offers the potential to help your business to grow.

Learn more about digital marketing by visiting JVI Mobile Marketing or by contacting us!


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