By Ellen Fruchtman, President
Everyone should be ready with their holiday plans and execution of those holiday plans. What we always forget is the importance of what we call personal touch marketing (PTM). Not your advertising, but what you and your employees can do to ensure the holiday season is successful.
What is PTM and why is it so important?
Let’s face it, the amount of advertising messages your prospects will see and hear and the amount of channels they can see and hear those messages on is mind-boggling. Sure, our jobs as marketing professionals are to help you stand out from the clutter. That job is getting more difficult with the glut of messaging. No longer can you rely on those messages. Extending a personal touch can be the difference between making money and mediocrity this holiday season!
PTM is communicating directly with your customers or your prospects through meeting venues, a phone call or text, or possibly by seeding a personal gift to your better customers. Not simply from the store. From you - the actual salesperson! If you are an employee ask your employer if they will contribute. If you are the employer conversely put together an actual co-op PTM plan with your staff.
Meeting venues include everything from your social gatherings to being a part of larger groups like your local Chamber or important charity boards. No matter where you are, you need to remember you are your company's ambassador! Work it. A great salesperson can smell opportunity. You might be sitting at a bar or at a nice restaurant and notice someone celebrating an event. Send over a drink with your business card. You get the picture.
Work with a local florist and send flower arrangements for Thanksgiving to your best customers. It’s right before the holidays and if there is anything that will jar the thought of buying from you versus anyone else, this might be the thing!
Personal Touch Marketing is the ultimate connection to your customer. It puts a face to a faceless business and what happens when you do this?
You gain their loyalty.
You gain their trust.
You make an incredible impression.
You form a bond different between a salesperson and a customer.
You get a competitive edge.
You win.
And, isn’t that what luxury retailing (or any retailing for that matter) is about?
Interested in our personal touch? Contact suits@fruchtman.com and see what we can do for you!
