BY BILL FAETH
Now. Now. Now.
It’s a part of life in today’s society. We all want everything immediately, and this is evident everywhere from fast food drive-thrus to the aptly named app Amazon Prime Now.
Think about the most recent services or products you purchased. Did you conduct any research beforehand? Even if you bought something online, you probably at least checked reviews or star ratings from previous purchasers, or maybe you compared a few products, accessories, functions, or prices before you clicked “Buy.”
How about the last time you purchased a suit? That’s something you likely didn’t order online, and instead chose to visit a brick-and-mortar store, which allowed you to try it on to ensure the proper fit, to determine if the fabric is comfortable, and (if you’re like me) to see that it complements your favorite ties.
This is all research in some form or fashion, and your consumers—from a bride booking wedding transportation to the corporate travel manager who just signed a new contract with you—are doing the same before they decide to purchase your services.
“Are you going to sell on price, or are you going to create value for them? Will you solve their problems and turn your cold traffic into warm traffic so they have a legitimate reason to buy from you?”
That need for pre-purchase research is a problem when some chauffeured transportation companies begin selling “now, now, now,” which does not work for cold traffic, online or off.
“Cold traffic” is when a prospective buyer has no previous relationship with your company and is not coming to you through a highly valuable and influential referral. The only way you can warm them up is to provide value right from the onset so they know you can deliver solutions for their problems and pain points.
For example: If you service New York City or have a client flying into LaGuardia who will be picked up by an affiliate, you can provide immediate value by explaining the airport’s current construction issues. Then, describe how you can make their air-to-ground transition easier and quicker.
This type of information sharing creates value for your prospect and changes the way they think about your company, your service, and their investment.
You can lead with this content to attract new clients in the form of a Facebook ad targeting first-time customers who have no relationship with your company—your cold traffic. The ad could direct your LaGuardia-bound cold traffic to a landing page detailing ways to help expedite airport wait times so they arrive with a solution in hand. At the very least, it would broadly explain the process of how they will get to their vehicle, at which point the chauffeur will handle the rest.
Why? Because nobody else is doing this. It shows that you put your customer first. It shows that you know how to manage logistics. And it shows that you are an expert in ground transportation management whose priority is the client.
I would also have this information front and center on my website’s homepage, or on my airport transportation webpage. That way, your cold traffic will see it regardless of the source.
But I would also sprinkle into my content the additional items or value propositions that set you apart like duty of care, on-time pickup guarantee, communication process, speed of receipts, and confirmations. These details display to your new prospect how you will actually manage their business and how you are better than their current provider.
Keep in mind that if a potential client is looking at your ad, meeting in person, or calling your office, then they have a problem. And you have to ask yourself are you going to sell on price, or are you going to create value for them? Will you solve their problems and turn your cold traffic into warm traffic so they have a legitimate reason to buy from you?
When you choose to implement the former, you need to understand that this is why your price-per-click campaigns, Facebook ads, social media posts, and trade show booths don’t yield immediate return. It doesn’t matter if it’s online or in person: You must nurture the prospect through multiple touch points to warm them up and prepare them to purchase.
So don’t expect to convert a prospect to a customer with the first ad or in the first meeting. Continue to warm them up through email automation, Facebook retargeting, and email follow-ups to turn them into a loyal client. Because if you don’t, someone else will. And they will win that business. [CD0817]
Bill Faeth is founder and president of Inbound Marketing Agents in Nashville and founder of Limo University. He can be reached at bill@limogrowth.com.