They were once a prospect…. then a lead… then a presentation opportunity… Then… well, you know the routine. But now that you’ve landed this whale (for lack of a better term), what happens? You’ve finally contracted with this client. Does the attention to this particular fish scale back (no pun intended)?

Is it all about the conquest?

Is the honeymoon over?

Well, I’m here to tell you, it better not stop there.

Continued customer engagement is key to your business’ sustainability – the key to your success – and honestly should be the easiest part of your job. Or would you rather go on making cold calls and play the dog-n-pony for new leads every day?

Here are 10 simple tips that will improve your customer engagement.

1. Realize your engagement starts on day one.
If it’s a cold call, if your business model involves lead generation, customer engagement begins with your handling of that lead. Set the tone of the entire relationship as soon as they pick up the phone.

2. Start at the beginning.
TRUE brand engagement gets the biggest return by starting with the Truth. You can’t define your customer’s unique positioning statement until you’ve dated for a while. So slow down and learn. And let THEM learn about (and from) you.

3. Make it easier to be your customer.
Does your business card have your cell phone number on it? If you don’t want to go that far, does it have a number on it where an actual HUMAN answers… maybe even you? Break the barriers you’ve set up to ward off telemarketers and spammers. Your customers don’t want to feel like they’re not part of your culture.

4. All customers (new or old) are created equal.
Sure, a whale gets more attention than a guppy, but keep that fact in the ledger only. Support, lines of communication, and reaction need to be consistent across all levels. Think of it this way… Do you have a favorite child?

5. Personalize and customize.
In another lifetime, I was a kick-ass waiter for a national restaurant chain. I knew, by instinct, that if I knew the customer’s name, their drink preferences, even where they like to sit, that my engagement would improve their experience while at the restaurant (not my flair). Results? Return customers. MUCH better tips. More promotional opportunities for me (never realized due to a job offer in the marketing communications world… from one of those customers… ironic?)

6. Know the difference between “New” and “Well seasoned” customers.
New customers have different needs and expectations than those you’ve had for years (even months). Do your research to understand and respond to these differences.

7. Ask.
Most people want to be heard. If they’re like a lot of our customers, they’ll make sure they’re heard… are you there to listen? They like being asked. The act of surveying your customers makes them understand you care. When you report the results of the survey back to them, that’s a double confirmation of your engagement.

8. Show a little appreciation.
If a customer has shown you loyalty, how do you reciprocate? It can be as simple as a Friday afternoon lunch on the company. Or it could be going beyond stipulated expectations – at no extra cost to them. “Can you see how much we appreciate you?” Isn’t always a bad question to ask (yourself).

9. Give ‘em a little buy-in option.
Build a customer panel or advisory board, and invite your customers to join. You’ll be surprised by how many want to participate, share, refer, and engage more as a result of their “one-on-some” participation. If you listen and act on what they have to say, that not only builds their loyalty, but also makes them more willing to reach out to prospects.

10. Use their network.
If a customer provides a referral, that’s like they’re saying “These guys did good by me. You should use ‘em too.” And it’s a sure testimonial of an engaged customer to give a referral. Most customers feel better about the value of your brand when they refer you to people like themselves.

Simple customer engagement should be a daily routine – above lead generation, above self-promotion, and above working “in” the company. If you incorporate these 10 simple tips, you should see a great improvement in return engagement from your customers, thus making the rest of it seem easier.

Until next time…

Keep Cooking!
Andrew B. Clark
The Brand Chef

We have a long weekend coming up and I wanted to pick your brains for some good reading material. In recent years, I’ve constantly tried to keep a handful of books on my “To Read” list, but lately I’ve had trouble finding the time to search out and discover new material.

So, I’m leaving it up to you.

What have you read lately that…

A. Inspired you to be a better person
B. Motivated you personally / professionally
C. Made you laugh / cry
or
D. Twisted your idea of… (insert topic here)

Get it? I want you to give suggestions on what should I read next.

In turn, I’ve listed five of my all-time favorite books for you – with the idea that when we share knowledge we become a better community.

Orbiting the Giant Hairball, Gordon MacKenzie
Always the top of my list… Originally given to me by my friend and mentor, Mike Wagner (White Rabbit Group / Own Your Brand). It’s a fun, yet startling eye-opener that will inspire you to rethink how creativity can be integrated into the “corporate world.”

The Brand Gap, Marty Neumeier
Kind of an obvious one – seeing as though I’m The Brand Chef – but it’s seriously the base of my branding perspective and one of the most dog-eared book in my collection.

Made to Stick, Chip & Dan Heath
Ever wonder why some ideas “Stick” and others fade away like last week’s meatloaf? Chip and Dan Heath have created a wonderfully structured path to assure the “stickiness” of your next idea, marketing plan, or advertising campaign… Constructed from academically-tested theories and proven methodology, they take the techno/psycho-babble out of the equation for all of us to put to use in our next campaign. (Trust me, it was hard enough for me just to write that…)

Running With Scissors, Augusten Burroughs
One of a handful of non-business books I’ve read this year, “Scissors” is painful and amusing all at once. In a masterfully crafted memoir, Burroughs narrates some of his own personal triumphs and failures growing up in a… well… dysfunctional family (to put it mildly). Emotive and disturbing, Burroughs’ writing shows you a perspective of mental illness, alcoholism, and dysfunctional family-life that very few get to see.

When the Game Is Over, It All Goes Back in the Box, John Ortberg
Have you ever wondered your fate in honest, realistic, and spiritual terms? Ortberg, using the “game of life” as a metaphor for our “earthly” lives, neatly sorts out what’s fleeting and what’s permanent in God’s kingdom. Being “Master of the Board” is not the point. Winning the game of life on Earth is a temporary victory… Not my typical read, but an eye-opening conversation that contrasts well with my venture into Augusten Burroughs’ world.

As you can see, I have a pretty eclectic reading list. I welcome all ideas / genres… And I look forward to your suggestions. I will report back as soon as I’ve pick one…

Until next week…

Keep Cooking!
Andrew B. Clark
– The Brand Chef

What IS a social media superstar… me? you?

I may know one…

Over at GetANewBrowser.com, Andy Brudtkuhl (Twitter @abrudtkuhl) took a much more in-depth look at those that claim to be social media “experts.” It inspired me to think a little more about what exactly a social media superstar “looks like.”

And I decided I’d never be one… Here’s why.

1. I’m over 35 (by just a bit).
2. I usually wear shirts with a collar (sometimes even a tie).
3. I shave at least every weekday (sometimes even on weekends).
4. I still use hair gel as a smoothing agent instead of as an “agent of change.”
5. I don’t own aviator sunglasses.
6. I don’t own an iPhone (but really want one).
7. I have difficulty buying coffee at Starbucks (although appreciate it immensely).
8. I know more about potty training than trend spotting.
9. Most of my friends have no idea what CRM, CMS, CSS, RSS, XML or “tweetup” mean.
10. Most of my friends think “Blogging” is something they did after a heavy night of drinking in college (but can’t remember with who).

Sure, this is all tongue-in-cheek, but what I do know is that “experts,” or those that position themselves as “social media superstars” have quite a challenge ahead of them. As Andy said in his follow-up post,

“Experts are… always learning… thought leaders, and teachers…”

AMEN!

Here are two quick points.

1. I do know that TRUE Brands are built on branding perceptions using Truth, Relevance, Uniqueness, and Engagement.
2. And… Those in control of that perception will be the ones in the branding driver’s seat.

So watch out, ‘cause this social media interloper is comin’ in…

What’s YOUR definition of a Social Media Superstar? Is it as simple as I’ve made it (don’t answer that)? Is it more like Andy’s description? Or, do you have a better definition?

Let’s cook up some fun ideas…

Keep Cooking!
Andrew B. Clark
The Brand Chef