tcb taking care business

After Elvis Presley was discharged from the Army, he decided to make movies instead of recording songs since he already had a stockpile of recordings that were being released.

He made movies for seven years before deciding on a “live” tour comeback.

Once on the road again, Elvis sported a ring and necklace with the letters, TCB, which he explained stood for Taking Care of Business.

Besides wildly achieving success, TCB was also the name of Elvis’ band for his road tours. Brands looking to recover and build their markets since the pandemic also need to TCB. Here are some tips.

Hidden Gem

A mistake common to many brands is dismissing the initial leads they receive and which don’t immediately convert into sales.

That’s why capturing even basic contact information on initial contact is important.

If the prospect doesn’t buy the first time, use the data collected like what they looked at to follow up with suggestions about similar products they may have overlooked.

Sometimes inquiring about why they left the site can reveal some valuable information as well.

Target

Many companies cut marketing budgets as a result of the pandemic and recession. This makes it even more important to work smarter with available funds.

Target and prioritize ad spending to the brand’s audience and platforms they frequent the most.

Similarly, focus on connecting with them where and when they are most likely to be active. Past data should reveal that information.

If it’s not being gathered, begin doing so immediately.

Website

It’s also a good time to revisit the brand’s website. How long are visitors on it? If many leave after just a few seconds, it’s likely a strong indication that the website needs to be redone.

A website that grabs the interest and attention of first-time visitors will induce them to browse and hang around. What’s also critical today is ensuring that a brand’s website is mobile friendly.

This became even more acute when people were in self-isolation and relying on their cell phones.

The other Achilles heel that some brands recently discovered is page load speeds.

This should be a no-brainer as people’s reliance on mobile devices make this ever so important. Every extra second counts.

Visuals

The value of pictures, infographics and video cannot be overstated. An earlier article emphasized the value and popularity of these.

Brands not leveraging their popularity are missing a great opportunity.

Convenience

Make it easy for visitors to connect with the brand and see what they need to know.

Have phone numbers displayed frequently and, in today’s changing environment with seemingly constant changes in store hours and operations, ensure that that information is readily visible and handy.

Nothing discourages visitors more than a frustrating search of a new website to locate this information.

Emails

It has been reported that the average open rate for emails is 20%.

If that’s the brand’s experience,that means sending out the same variation of that email five times to ensure that it’s read.

On the other hand, if the brand’s open rate is higher, don’t be a pest and tailor the frequency to the prospect’s experience.

Also, check to be sure the subject line fits with the audience. Tailor the messaging to what’s known about the customer.

This may mean sending out several variations of the same email to customers depending upon their likes and preferences.

Doing this correctly, however, will result in much higher open rates and success.

Finally, before considering the purchase of a list, look internally.

Often overlooked is traffic from social media platforms, consumers requesting information and guides on the brand’s website or Google, referrals, and folks who call customer service.

Harvesting and employing all these successfully can result in another of Elvis’ songs, “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On.”

SHARE
Previous articleCompassion is a Lifetime Business
Next articleUber May Be Out in London, Vows to Push Back
Ronn Torossian is the Founder & Chairman of 5W Public Relations, one of the largest independently owned PR firms in the United States. Since founding 5WPR in 2003, he has led the company's growth and vision, with the agency earning accolades including being named a Top 50 Global PR Agency by PRovoke Media, a top three NYC PR agency by O'Dwyers, one of Inc. Magazine's Best Workplaces and being awarded multiple American Business Awards, including a Stevie Award for PR Agency of the Year. With over 25 years of experience crafting and executing powerful narratives, Torossian is one of America's most prolific and well-respected public relations executives. Throughout his career he has advised leading and high-growth businesses, organizations, leaders and boards across corporate, technology and consumer industries. Torossian is known as one of the country's foremost experts on crisis communications. He has lectured on crisis PR at Harvard Business School, appears regularly in the media and has authored two editions of his book, "For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results With Game-Changing Public Relations," which is an industry best-seller. Torossian's strategic, resourceful approach has been recognized with numerous awards including being named the Stevie American Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year, the American Business Awards PR Executive of the Year, twice over, an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year semi-finalist, a Top Crisis Communications Professional by Business Insider, Metropolitan Magazine's Most Influential New Yorker, and a recipient of Crain's New York Most Notable in Marketing & PR. Outside of 5W, Torossian serves as a business advisor to and investor in multiple early stage businesses across the media, B2B and B2C landscape. Torossian is the proud father of two daughters. He is an active member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and a board member of multiple not for profit organizations.