Survival of the Fittest-The Reno Ad Agency Blog

Everyone knows that customer service has always been important, but in these tough economic times, we believe it’s more important than ever. Many companies that once competed on price alone are seeing that their competitive edge is being eroded.

We are seeing pricing become more aggressive, as well as added value to the products and service being offered, all in the name of increasing customer base. If you are lucky enough to have a decent amount of clientele, you’ve just become a target for your competition.

What to do? Offer outstanding customer service and you will develop lifelong customers, impervious to attack from your competitors.

You may be saying “My business already has awesome customer service, we don’t need to worry about it”. You’re wrong. Your competition is trying to stay in business the same way you are, they are refining their methods, re-structuring their pricing and increasing their level of customer service. What ever you have been doing isn’t enough anymore.

In this economy, you can’t afford to lose a customer to your competitor, so you must take steps to prevent customer loss before they ever walk in your door.

• Step 1- Survey all your current clients and ask what they LOVE about you.

  Find out what why you are their number 1 choice for X product or service. Take notes, then flaunt those attributes like never before. These are your new weapons against your competition, use them to full affect.

• Step 2- Ask your most loyal customers what they DON’T love about your services.

  Don’t take ‘nothing’ for an answer. Every business has room for improvement, and an honest critique of your operation is extremely valuable. Notice I didn’t suggest that you ask all your clients about what they dislike? Asking clients what they don’t like about your business is a little tricky…you don’t really what them to think about it too hard, they might realize that they could be better off somewhere else! Make sure you are asking the tough questions to long-time clients that won’t desert you after they realize they know all your flaws. Being a loyal client, they will appreciate that you are making an effort to improve your services.

• Step 3 – FIX YOUR FLAWS!

  Your loyal clients just gave you some very important information, pay attention to it and do what it tales to make it right. Do your best to resolve as many of the complaints as possible, and do it immediately. Even if you can’t fix them all, make your best effort to implement a few new strategies as soon as you have completed the surveys. If you survey your clients and they don’t see any change, you may have made them even more disappointed. When people respond to surveys, they are usually thinking that after the survey, their complaints will be resolved from then on. Fail to show any improvement and they may feel neglected.

• Step 4- Steal your competition’s customers!

  Chances are that you and your competition are more similar than you know. Whatever likes or dislikes your customers have with you, they probably have with your competition. For example, maybe in your industry your service is known to have a slow response time. If you can adjust you model to offer a faster response time, you stand to gain a good chunk of your competition’s base, even at a similar or slightly higher price point. The surveys have given you information not only about your business, but your competition’s too.

• Step 5 – Do it all again!

  You should be forever tweaking and refining your customer service to match client demands. The most successful companies adapt to their customers and never become complacent. In this recession, customers may be willing to give up some things in order to get a lower price. Or they might require extra incentives just to get them in the door. In a booming economy, price may not be as important as it once was and you’ll have to offer something else to make them happy. The point is, customer service needs are constantly changing and it’s up to you to stay on top of the trends.

If you’re interested in hearing about ways to implement a customer survey strategy, use the form below to give us a shout. Or, you can visit our main site at www.belosic.com

Erin Business Strategy ad agency reno, expand market share in a bad economy, Reno business climate, Reno Economy, Reno Market Share, Reno Marketing, surviving a bad economy in Reno

There are many times in the career of a Reno/Tahoe business owner where this question will come up -Which agency should I use? Do I go out of state or use a local Reno ad agency? How do I  hire a marketing/advertising agency? From the perspective of the advertising agency or the marketing agency, the answer is simple, “Use us!” So how do you really evaluate an agency, without the bias? Over the years, we have found that all of these boil down to just 4 key factors – The Team, The Proposal, the Strategy and The Cost.

The Team

This  is probably the most important element in the selection process that is often overlooked. In today’s results-oriented business environment, we often forget a basic reality- the advertising world is made up of PEOPLE. You can work with the most creative minds, the strongest marketing teams, and the sharpest Account Executives. However, if you simply cannot “get along”, it is highly unlikely that you will come up with a winning strategy. The team element cannot be over-stressed. Even a mediocre team with great enthusiasm can produce amazing campaigns. The sense of belonging and ownership drives people to greater heights. At Belosic|ADG, everyone on the team is involved and has the client’s best interest at heart. When we are all responsible for a campaign, every person from the Intern to the Director will work that much harder to guarantee success.

In an field where emotions, values and vision play such important roles, it is the people who will win through, not the pretty portfolio. If you wouldn’t invite your agency over to a backyard BBQ, chances are that the relationship isn’t right.

We are always available for BBQs.

The Proposal

If the Team were the only considerations, then the business world will be filled with a bunch of your buddies all hanging out at BBQs having a good time. Unfortunately, true substance is still a very necessary ingredient in the success of any marketing campaign. The Proposal, the Big Idea, the Grand Creative are the tangible results and must not be overlooked. The client proposal should cover not just the creative vision, but all the elements that make the campaign successful. Some things to look out for in a good proposal would be:
- Clear vision and objectives
- Media plan (if applicable)
- Great creatives (usually mistaken to be the ONLY element for a winning proposal. )
- Project Planning and Timelines (project management elements)

The Strategy

A great proposal and a nice team of people might be present, however, to ensure the success of a marketing campaign the proper strategies must be in place. You must have a good understanding of the agency, their resources (one of the more important factors here in Reno) and the way the selected agency executes their objectives. In an advertising campaign, the number of elements could mean that different teams are involved in different aspects. Does the agency have the right team and talent to support the project? If they have the people, do they have an established, well rehearsed way of communications and coordination? This might seem trivial, but once you are in the middle of a campaign and the key Account Executive calls in sick (hungover), you will appreciate a rock solid strategy.

The Cost

Yes, price is indeed a consideration.  While this is important, it is also the last piece that should be considered. Pay cheap prices, get cheap products. While it’s true that the most expensive is not necessarily the best; price is a poor gauge of the potential success of a marketing agency. Work out a realistic budget. Your agency should be willing to work within that budget and forecast results based on that budget.  At Belosic ADG, we’ll work with just about any budget, but we always explain to the client what to expect if the budget won’t allow us to adequately fulfill the campaign goals.

This list should get you started in the right direction.  In the end, be sure to chose an agency here in Reno that you are comfortable with, you’ll be developing a long-term relationship with them.  We always view our clients as out partners. If our clients grow, we’ll grow right along with them.

Want to grow with us? Use the form below to contact us, or visit our main site at http://www.belosic.com

Jim Business Strategy ad agency reno, advertising reno, Belosic ADG, chosing a web developer, reno ad agency, Reno business