Who do your clients talk to – before they talk to you?
One of the easiest – yet most valuable – exercises when considering how you market your business is this simple question: Who do your clients talk to, before they talk to you?
A lot of business marketing activity is aimed at breaking the ice, putting a business, brand or idea in front of prospective clients. For those in the funeral industry there is another layer of challenge, being that end of life planning is a topic most people tend to avoid unless prompted by specific life events or circumstances.
For this reason, it can be difficult to reach clients in a way that actually influences behaviour. That said, there’s another option – reaching those who can influence your clients at the right time.
So, back to the question – who are your clients speaking to?
If you sat down right now and made a list of all the ways in which your clients are influenced by others before they even pick up the phone to speak with you, what would it look like?
- Perhaps they are family members with a sick relative in hospital, relying on information from nurses and social workers to help shape their decision-making for the future.
- Perhaps they are working with solicitors or financial advisers to write wills, plan estates or otherwise prepare for their future.
- Perhaps they speak with friends at their local bowls or services club, listening to them discuss a recent experience they’ve had with a funeral director.
Either way, there are people out there who are talking about you – or at the very least, about the kind of service you offer. Do you want to get involved with that conversation?
If the answer is yes, then it’s a great opportunity to look at your marketing to see how it addresses these influencers – people can have a big impact on your business without you even knowing it.