[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]By Michael Janowski
June 30, 2015 – Your wireless marketing presence should be the heartbeat of your business. It brings customers to the door who put money in the drawer. We all sell wireless products and services. It’s imperative that your wireless store differentiates itself from the competition.
That said, the wireless business can be all too willing to cut back on marketing to cut costs (signage, digital creativity, etc.). But this doesn’t have to be the case. Marketing doesn’t have to be detrimental to the bottom line.
The social economy is changing with increasingly fewer differences among wireless products and services. Thus, image and reputation are becoming the only real form of establishing a competitive advantage because they are the only means of truly separating yourself from your competition. Image sells. Maintaining a spotless image and reputation is imperative to maintaining profitability.
So how does your wireless store establish and maintain this spotless image? There are four primary roles we need to assume in reputation marketing:
- The Shopkeeper. The best place to start is your actual store premises. Each of us should take it upon ourselves to keep the store clean and organized as if it were our very own. Make sure that your building has new paint, professional multi-lingual signage, well-tended plants, and a generally tidy appearance. Outfitting your team with company golf shirts and a ready supply of business cards will provide some branded consistency and expand your business after hours throughout the community.
- The Expert. It’s important for us to establish a trusted credibility among our customers. We have to be theirwireless experts. There are many ways to do this. Participate in local trade associations or organizations and offer to do wireless workshops. Start a blog. Join a Chamber of Commerce where you can network with surrounding area business owners for cross-marketing opportunities. Show our customers and the community that you know “what’s going on in wireless” more distinctly and more passionately than anyone.
- The Trainer. Few things command the type of prestige on a subject as the command to teach it. It is your wireless store’s responsibility to be the foremost authority of the wireless technologies you sell. Try conducting monthly “How-To” training or informational clinics about your products or services. Host workshops that focus on popular apps and devices to share tips and knowledge. Give a Career Day speech at local high schools/colleges. Provide specialized training for those that do not immediately embrace wireless technology.
- The Volunteer. There is undeniable value to giving back to the community. You should always be happy to volunteer. Get your staff involved in neighborhood festivals and events to take part and increase our company visibility. Take the time to donate and publicize a charity or non-profit organization. Sponsor an Adopt-A-Highway initiative and work to keep our roads litter-free. Our reputation relies on giving back.
Remember: Successful marketing (digital, display, or other) is predicated on a consistently exceptional customer experience. Let this be what informs every marketing effort in your wireless store![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]