The pandemic has resulted in many businesses closing. Many are hanging on by a thread. Others have been turned upside down. And many more have lost customers and sales. What can you do about it? Some may advise you to advertise more. That can be effective. But there is a form of advertising is the most effective in these uncertain times, a form of advertising that folks are looking for right now: Quality! That’s right! Quality.
Tough Times Require Longevity
People want to get the most for their money right now. They don’t know if or when they will get more. If they are going to part with their precious savings, it better to be for a quality product. They can’t really afford to buy disposable products that need regular replacement. Now they need products that will last, services that over deliver, and brands that guarantee performance and longevity.
Discovery is Sharing
So that’s the new market. But there’s another reason why you should embrace quality. It is one of the most effective forms of advertising. Why? The discovery process. When customers discover true quality, they can’t wait to share their new find with friends, relatives and colleagues. Why? That’s half the fun! They get to share their discovery with others, knowing that they will be thanked for the turn on.
But wait, there’s more! Now your customer is not only telling their friends about your quality product, they are staking their personal reputation on it! They are going to bat for your product and in effect saying they endorse and guarantee its quality and performance.
The purpose of advertising is to encourage prospects to become customers, but the purpose of quality is to encourage customers to become advocates. And this goes way beyond brand loyalty.
Focus on Quality Now
And what is quality? Simply, it’s overdelivering, outlasting, and out-performing the competition. And it’s not just the product, it’s the customer service. There’s two main kinds of customer service; reactive, when you solve problems with your product or service, and active, when you proactively reach out to find out what your customers think about your products, what problems they have, and how you can improve.
Need more business in these challenging times? Overkill on quality and customer service. Demonstrate concern for satisfaction and value to your existing customers. When you do this, you will turn customers into advocates. What you spend in higher quality is the cheapest form of advertising. Advocacy is the most powerful and influential form of advertising because the referring party is putting their own personal reputation and credibility at stake on your behalf. Talk about integrity?
The Cost of Replacement
Cheap and short-lived products create their own reputation that can only hope to be justified by the low cost of acquisition. They have to be replaced often. But savvy customers, the ones that are more likely to be loyal to a brand, are more concerned with the mounting costs of replacements. Longevity eats cheapness for breakfast when it comes to customer loyalty. Bonnies says, “When its cheaply made and falls apart quickly, all you can do is brag about how little you paid.” The excuse goes something like, “Guess what I paid?” and the corollary is “Well, what can you expect for that price?” Remember this – no matter how cheap it is, you have to live with it!
So recommit yourself to quality and let your customers expand your business. People are looking for value, integrity, and sincerity right now. If you give this to them, they will be saying, “I recommend this brand!”
