We can learn a lot from hairdressers, and I don't just mean how to achieve a great blow dry! Traditionally hairdressers have nailed the concepts of maximising frequency and spend from their clients. By having a look at the processes within a typical hairdressing salon, we can learn a lot.
Every time we walk into the office, shop, workshop or wherever we work, it is easy to become 'store blind'. We don't see things the same way customers do.
Taking a few minutes to step into your customers shoes can be very powerful. Next time you go to work try a few of these pointers to get a fresh perspective: 1. Park your car where a customer would and walk into the store/office as they would. Was it easy to find? Do your signs need a clean? You can spend heaps of money on a fantastic marketing campaign with a professionally produced television ad, matching radio ads, great print ads and a digital campaign to compliment your efforts, only to have it all fall over when you have a potential new client walk into your store and experience poor customer service.
Too often organisations spend their entire marketing budget on the big stuff and forget about frontline staff training. When the whole objective of your position is to drive traffic to your business door, don't forget about who they will meet when they get there. Above the line marketing is generally the marketing activity that is traditional in nature and requires some money to bring it to life. For example, TV advertising, gift with purchase campaigns, google adwords etc. In contrast, below the line marketing is the marketing that doesn't necessarily cost money, but generally takes time and can be done in house. For example, how customers are greeted with they arrive, communications on the bottom of our email signature, newsletters etc.
Because above the line marketing requires budget allocation, it is naturally respected, well planned, executed by professionals and reviewed regularly. Often the time we allocate into managing our below the line activity can be not as well respected, managed or reviewed because it isn't a separate line item on the profit and loss statement. This is a common approach by many organisations, however those organistations who take the time to work out the difference between above the line and below the line marketing and treat each activity with the same level of respect, whether it's on the profit and loss statement as a separate line item or hidden in your wages bill, can see great results and a positive impact on sales. |
AuthorRoxanne Grey |