Back To Basics: Face-To-Face Actually Works by:Janice Jenkins

Direct customer interaction? What is that you'd say

? In today's ever connected environment where barriers to being connected are no longer present, is face-to-face interaction with customers still necessary?

Gone are the days when sales persons do personal sales calls which starts with presenting their business card printing and then delivering their business proposals. Today, sales persons are either calling, emailing, texting, blogging, calling, paging or skyping; but not interacting. How the message lands on the customers are still important to note and the new modes of interacting just does not give you that.

Face to face is still important. In fact, I would argue that there is nothing better than face to face talk with customers. Using the simplest and oldest mode communication, through face to face talks with customers, new lessons and new insights can be learnt. Face to face is not a one way street. It is in fact two way because you not only get to present your case but you all get to know what makes customers tick, what they want and how you can make this want an impetus to part with their dollars.

A spectacular number of businesses are going back to good old selling relationships, retraining, CRM (customer relationship management), financials, cost management. I guess it is a plus factor for traditional marketers who look at the world differently. An undeniable social trend is emerging where customers want real time transparent, human, non-selling relationships.

Face to face marketing can begin a lasting relationship between you and the customer. This relationship is essential because it builds trust and confidence in the business which ultimately results to brand loyalty. Face-to-face marketing is also a useful strategy for establishing an organization's reputation in a particular area.

When you cannot reach your audience through print, broadcast or the Internet or you need to supplement your media program, which is when you need to think about face-to-face marketing - placing clients directly in front of trained marketing professionals. By adding the human touch which is not present when you present your online business card printing for example.

The key here is to constantly do follow-ups. You can do this by either having personal visits, or sending emails or making internet calls. When you do, the relationship is nurtured. Through time you will learn what works and what does not and this skill is perfected only through time and through lots of follow up.

For comments and inquiries about the article visit:

http://www.printplace.com/printing/business-card-printing.aspx

About the author

Janice Jenkins is a writer for a marketing company in Chicago, IL. Mostly into marketing research, Janice started writing articles early 2007 to impart her knowledge to individuals new to the marketing industry.

POST COMMENT

Marketing Success Using Cheap Posters by:Janice Jenkins Steps For Catalog Appeal Improvement by:Janice Jenkins Tips Every Small Business Should Know by:Janice Jenkins Bigger Is Not Always Better In Stickers by:Janice Jenkins The Best Advice So Far: Focus On Customers by:Janice Jenkins Things To Know When Selecting A Print Service by:Janice Jenkins The 4 C's Of How To Sell Your Business by:Janice Jenkins 5 Secrets To Modern Business Card Printing by:Janice Jenkins How To Decide On A Brochure Template by:Janice Jenkins Cleaning Up Your Print Booklet Clutter by:Janice Jenkins Small Business Marketing Is Different From Big Business Marketing by:Lynne Saarte 5 Facts About Printing Posters by:Lynne Saarte Give Your Catalog That Extra "OOMPH" by:Lynne Saarte