Sleigh Bells Ring...And Cash Registers, Too

During the holidays, folks everywhere shop many long hours to buy gifts for the important people in their lives. Spending at this time of year is one of the driving forces of our economy, and retailers go to great lengths to make the frenetic experience a festive one. Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the NeimanMarcus catalog, FAO Schwarz toy decorations and Saks Fifth Avenue window displays are all part of Christmas marketing lore.

When our kids were young, we lived in the Fort Worth, and each December we drove an hour to Dallas to take our children to Northpark Center. There, our family truly got into the holiday spirit. From the sarcastic Scrooge puppeteer who preys on unsuspecting shoppers, to the bigger-than-life clock tower that performs the 12 Days of Christmas, to the most authentic Santa Claus we've ever seen, shopping at Northpark was truly something we looked forward to every year.

Northpark's objective is to give shoppers a memorable holiday experience and put them in the spirit to buy more products from the mall's stores. In reaching a buying decision, retailers understand buyers go through filtering processes they weigh against their "scarce" resources: time, money, knowledge and affinity.

The Filtering Process: The first thing a customer does to filter information is to review options (think about what you do when you're in the market for a new computer). With a universal list at hand, customers begin distilling options by comparing them based on their own scarce resources. Ultimately, they reach a logical conclusion by placing a value on the various options.

Example: Alan owns a foreign car that won't shift into gear. A quick phone call to the dealership where he bought it four years ago reveals that they are no longer in business. What does he do?

In the first stage of his decision-making process, Alan considers all possible means to satisfy his core need ? getting transportation quickly. He starts by filtering out options: find another dealer in a nearby city; look up non-dealer mechanics in the yellow pages; call AAA; park the car in his garage and wait to see if a new dealership opens; fix the car himself; call his brother-in-law; buy a new car; take the bus; etc.

As Alan considers all of these options, his own scarce resources come into play. His busy schedule won't allow him the time to drive to a nearby city. This is his only car, so parking it won't solve the problem; he'd just have to rent another one, and he doesn't have the money to do that. He has no knowledge about fixing brakes. He doesn't really have much of an affinity for his brother-in-law. After working through all the scenarios, Alan finally decides to find another mechanic.

As you might imagine, how he chooses that mechanic activates an entire new set of filters that take into consideration Alan's scarce resources. For instance, since he doesn't know any non-dealer mechanics, he will have to rely on a friend's knowledge of which local mechanics are qualified to do the job right.

The Marketing Opportunity: Looking at the above example from the mechanic's point of view (both non-dealer and those at dealerships in nearby cities) unveils some solid marketing opportunities.

By undertaking this same filtering process to understand the situation similar car owners of that defunct dealership are in, either of these segments could provide the knowledge Alan and others need to make them his choice.

Non-dealer mechanics qualified to work on this car could obtain a list of local owners from the manufacturer. They could then initiate a direct mail campaign that focuses on educating car owners about the benefits of doing business with them. They could also mail a postcard to all of their existing customers: "If you have friends or family affected by the loss of XYZ dealership, we are standing by to help them."

A dealer in a nearby city, presumably with a bigger budget than non-dealer mechanics, could establish a temporary service center to assist car owners of the out-of-business dealership. While it may not be possible for Alan to get there this time to fix his car, there's a good possibility that the next time he's in the market for a new one, he would take time to drive there and make a purchase much bigger than brakes.

Success Handler: With your team, reenact the filtering process that your clients might go through in specific situations. Set up several scenarios and look for the best opportunities for your small business. Then develop an action plan to capitalize on these.

Consider the following:

? What is your message and how will you share it with prospects and clients? What will it look like? How will you deliver it? (Direct mail, advertising, Web site, community event, sales call, brochure, open house, newsletter, industry association, etc.)

? Once you get their attention, what do you want them to do next? (Call, fax, write or e-mail, schedule an appointment, order something, subscribe, enter a drawing, pick out their free gift, turn in their coupon, etc.)

? Once they contact you or allow you to contact them, what will you do? (Who takes the call? What do they say? What other materials do you provide them?)

? How will you follow-up? (Call every XX days, place them on your mailing list, invite them to an event or seminar, etc.)

? Once they buy from you, how will you exceed their expectations? How will you say thank you? How will you keep in touch?

? What are the opportunities for repeat or additional business from them? How will they know all of your capabilities and services? With what other scarce resources can you identity?

Remember, you have to climb inside the shoes of your customers and prospects occasionally to understand how they think and how you will best solve their needs. Whether it's designing better marketing materials to help increase their sales, shipping computers across the country while taking all worries off their minds, or simply making the holiday shopping experience for parents a little less stressful, you need to understand why they buy from your small business.

Happy holidays and Happy shopping!

Copyright © 2004 by Success Handler, LLC. All rights reserved.

The Coach, David Handler, is the founder of Success Handler, (http://www.successhandler.com), and specializes in helping small business leaders find clarity and take action. He understands the challenges of running a business, because he's been there ? as a small business owner, franchisee, franchisor, corporate leader and trainer. Much like sports coaches, his coaching will show you how to compete on a level playing field in your industry.

---

7 Simple Marketing Tips

Here are 7 simple marketing tips to help you boost... Read More

Top Four Marketing Secrets of Building a Professional Practice

Building a coaching or consulting practice can be rewarding and... Read More

How To Market Effectively Even If No One Understands What You Do

So how do you effectively market your product or service... Read More

Market Your Identity

One of the most critical but overlooked parts of business... Read More

Eight Advantages of Fundraising Letters Over Other Methods

1. Personal Fundraising letters are about as personal as you... Read More

The Five Most Common Joint Venture Marketing Mistakes To Avoid

Joint Venture marketing has become a highly popular way for... Read More

Real Estate Investing - Writing Killer Postcards to Attract Motivated Sellers!

So many of you have been telling us that you're... Read More

Promotional Magnets: Promotion that Sticks

Some people are happy with just a business card. For... Read More

Like Brushing Your Teeth

What do the following things have in common: brushing your... Read More

Promotional Freebies

What's a promotional freebie? A promotional freebie is something you... Read More

The Beginners Mail Order Business Guide

No claim is made that the steps outlined would be... Read More

Burnout

Today I want to share a question from a reader... Read More

Whats Your Marketing Attitude?

Entrepreneurs pay a lot of attention to the mechanics of... Read More

After Your Postcard Mailing: Follow Up with Finesse

I've heard a lot of people lament the fact that... Read More

Successful Marketing Through Seminars

One of the best ways for potential clients to find... Read More

The Top Seven Marketing Mistakes

In my view, nearly all government statistics about reasons for... Read More

Five Steps to a Web Site That Sells

I'm always amazed that people would spend months to develop... Read More

2 Little Words That Work Marketing Magic

In his classic best-seller, "How To Win Friends And Influence... Read More

Effective List Management Can Save You Big

Let's talk about how to keep your postage costs down.So... Read More

Mortgage Marketing - Viral-Email, Referral Marketing Strategy

This is a devastatingly powerful way to extend your marketing... Read More

Marketing Worksheet

Even the world's best marketing strategy won't work for you... Read More

Lead Generation: What Is It worth?

Our business environment has changed dramatically. Companies must now be... Read More

Making Networking Work

Several years ago, "networking" was the hot buzzword. Everyone was... Read More

Eliminate Your Competitors With 2 Simple Steps

In business, having competitors goes with the territory. There's almost... Read More

Loan Officer Marketing ? How to Target the Right Agents

Once there was a loan officer, who marketed his services... Read More

Flesh Eating Spiders And Other Marketing Horrors

After a friend was bitten by a spider, I decided... Read More

Simple Marketing Idea - Big Marketing Results!

Have you ever noticed how many times it's the simplest... Read More

Why Do They Buy?

A recent issue of Entrepreneur magazine included a marketing story... Read More

Every Days a Holiday!

You probably know that February 2nd is Groundhog Day. But... Read More

People Arent Interested in You or Your Company

Does your Web site talk about your company? Yes, I... Read More

Joint Venture: 50 Power Secrets Of Joint Venture Marketing, Exposed

What is a Joint Venture?A joint venture is an agreement... Read More

Does Your Marketing Pass This 10-Point Test?

Good marketing, whatever form it takes, always meets certain criteria.... Read More

Build Lifelong Networks With Your Own Barter Group

I don't know if you have ever seriously considered bartering.... Read More