Finding Your Brandavores
Ah, isn’t it wonderful when a new word is invented? And isn’t the new trend of locavores a wonderful one? According to Wikipedia, the locavore trend is is a “collaborative effort to build more locally based, self-reliant food economies – one in which sustainable food production, processing, distribution, and consumption is integrated to enhance the economic, environmental and social health of a particular place.” We’re all about that, and we’re very much enjoying our CSA experience this summer, getting locally grown vegetables from Community CROPS here in Lincoln. Next week? Locally grown eggs!
Just like the locavore movement, every brand has it’s “brandavores,” diehard, loyal customers, who live, breathe and evangalize for you. Seriously? Yes, of course. Every day, a small group of your customers are out singing your praises, telling their friends that they should be buying from you. I nearly jumped out of my skin recently when a man came bounding up to me to talk about my Saab and tell me about the six Saabs he had owned. Does Saab know who he is? I certainly hope so.
Your database can help you find these people, and when you find them you can treat them with extra special attention. Keeping these people enthusiastic about your brand is extremely important to the health and profitability of your brand. Does Apple know how to do this? Absolutely they do. Apple customers feel very special, and they make sure that everyone knows how special Apple is, and how special they are, because they are Apple people.
This is a very core group within your customer base, they need to be 1) identified, and 2) treated with kid gloves. Recognize them, thank them. Very often that doesn’t even include discounting. We want to be appreciated above all else. My personal experience is with the Yves St. Laurent cosmetics counter at Saks Fifth Avenue when I lived in LA. I was an extremely loyal customer and used their entire line of skin care products, bought whatever they recommended, and influenced my friends to buy their products. What did it take to keep me loyal? A hug — I actually got a hug from the salespeople when I visited the store. And, they remembered me, and called me to invite me to special events. Now, I hate telemarketers, but I actually would return the call if it was from YSL. They’d have my order ready so that I could walk in, pick it up, sign the reciept and walk back out. Yes, they did let me know about special offers, but typically that sale included something I was already buying at full price. The experience and service was far more important to me than the discount.
So, peer into those databases. See how you can find your brandavores. Then, love them like crazy and keep them coming back.
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