There is no question about it: The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the world and the way we do business. As a result, many industries are being forced to dramatically shift the nature of their business, focusing less on direct sales solicitations and more on customer nurturing.
Customer nurturing is the process by which you encourage customers to do business with you, now or in the future, using less in-your-face methods. It essentially involves providing value and building relationships, with the goal being to do business with a customer at a later date by remaining top of mind. This tactic is absolutely critical at the moment, considering that so many businesses are now not able to directly sell their products or services.
Home improvement businesses are in the same boat as many others. Thanks to COVID-19 and subsequent stay-at-home orders, some improvement companies are not able to provide any services. As a result, smart home improvement companies have moved to customer nurturing activities.
Thankfully, there are many examples of activities these businesses can do. These include:
Providing valuable information
Home improvement companies have valuable knowledge that can be incredibly useful to their customers. This may be the perfect moment to use email databases to regularly reach out to customers and give them tips on everyday home improvements, including DIY maintenance advice, issues to watch out for, areas where they can and should call for professional help, and more.
This serves several purposes. It can help position you as an expert in the field, someone who is knowledgeable about home improvement and a person who is well-prepared to help a customer with their maintenance and improvement needs. It also helps remind a customer of your business without trying too hard to sell. As a result, a customer will be more likely to reach out to you when this pandemic ends.
Remember, the goal here is not to sell. The goal is specifically to provide value. As you undoubtedly know, people are more stressed and worried today than they were a couple of months ago. Unless something is wrong with their home, they may not be worrying about home improvements. Use this time to tell your customers about what they can do to protect themselves and their homes. They will thank you for it later.
Advising on home inspections
Thanks to technology, you have the opportunity to conduct “remote inspections.” Use video conferencing technology to do this. These obviously cannot take the place of a real-world inspection but can give you a chance to see potential problems in a customer’s house and provide them with a service. You can use this “inspection” to identify potential problems within a customer’s house and offer to make necessary repairs when the quarantine lifts and give advice on how to solve simple problems themselves.
Good customer experience is critical for success. These actions will let your customers know you still have their interests in mind.
Medallion Bank is dedicated to serving you in times of need. Please contact us if you need assistance.