How would you like to be contacted?

Posted by James Bake in Business Optimization, Discussion, Marketing Strategy on Mar 15th, 2008 | one response

Today an interesting thought came about. As marketers we have to be flexible to adapt to our customers and the way they work. In a meeting discussing up coming changes to a website, others in the meeting brought up an excellent point. Asking, “How do you prefer to be contacted?” As an opened ended question this opens possibilities. Different audiences have different preferences, with numerous methods of communication being at the tip of our finger tips. At any given time most of us can be contacted in about five different ways. I looked around the room, noticing the various options to communicate with the outside world. Calling on my cell phone, sending a text with my cell phone, the phone on the wall, the laptop sitting on the conference table: emails, instant messages, Facebook, Myspace, the list goes on. At that very moment, I was able to send/receive some form of communication about 15 different ways. Our customers are the same way. Just because they have the options in front of them, many do not use them all. Some see one form as junk mail, or spam; as I see Myspace messages, but on the other hand I communicated with my friends using Facebook. Today, a co-worker and I even posted pictures of each other and commented on each others pictures while we sat in the same office. My point being if I don’t check my Facebook account like I check my email, I might be missing out on an important message. Looking at your target audience you might find that email is inefficient, maybe a Facebook message would have more weight. Or a conversation via text would hit the spot. Try asking, “How do you Prefer to be contacted?” your response might change the way you are trying to reach your audience.