Get into the mind of your customers and learn how to create a communication plan.

1. How to Communicate
with your Customers
Alison Gaulden, APR
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Presented by
Alison Gaulden, APR
Lecturer, Reynolds School of
Journalism

2. Find Customers
Overview2
Alison Gaulden, APR
Speak to Customers

3. Research
 Define Audience
 Learn where they
communicate
 Define features and
benefits
 Reach them with Public
Relations and Marketing
Techniques
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4. Define Customers
Social
Listening
Surveys
Intercepts
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5. Customer Business Adoption Process
Process of Adoption
 Awareness
 Interest
 Evaluation (WIIFM)
 Trial
 Adoption
 Repeat
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6. Message
 Concise
 Credible
 Contrasting
 Memorable
 Persuasive
 REPEAT, REPEAT,
REPEAT!
Alison Gaulden, APR
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7. Differentiate Features/Benefits
 Facts
 Tasks
 Skills
 History
 Problem solving
 Feelings
 The Value
Features Benefits
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Alison Gaulden, APR

8. Pieces of the Message Puzzle
 Define ideal client
 Find emotional triggers you can fix
 Solutions
 What’s in it for client?
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Alison Gaulden, APR

9. Message examples
Typical
 We’re the #1 realtor in
your neighborhood
offering the best in
production and sales.
 We’re a human
resources solutions
company handling all
your employee needs.
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Effective
 We listed a property at
$630k last month and
SOLD in a week! Seller
overjoyed! Who's next?!
 We help small businesses
struggling with hiring or
keeping good people. We
reduce turnover by up to
70% and hire productive
employees.
Alison Gaulden, APR

10. Message Difference
 Elevator pitch: what
you do
 Mission Statement:
what company
stands for
 Positioning
Statement: why you
not competitor
 Slogan: identifies
your company
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Alison Gaulden, APR

11. Message Location
 Website-the HUB
 Social media
 Email statements
 Sales collateral
 Phone Messages
 Employees
 Boiler plates
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12. Website-Content Marketing
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13. Alison Gaulden, APR13

14. Adjust to Adoption Level
 Awareness and
Interest-Company
name, your role
 Evaluation –answer
the WIIFM
 Trial-overcome the
objections
 Adoption-find new
market/reasons
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Alison Gaulden, APR

15. Measure of Success
 Message repeated-
 social media
 customers
 reporters/editors
 Politicians
 movies
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Alison Gaulden, APR