One of the most common questions we get about client stories is “How should we use them?” It’s a good one and I love it because it shows the wheels are turning.
This is a lot of fun to discuss because the possibilities are numerous. This is why I like to call the client success story the Swiss Army Knife of marketing tools – high marketing utility in one simple piece of content.
Here are some of the best ways to use your client stories when you have them ready:
Your website. This is a no-brainer – post them at your site and make them easy to find. The traffic to this area will amaze you.
Your proposals. Humanize your proposals with the faces and names of real clients. They build trust and credibility at a critical time – when you’re asking for hard-earned money from your prospects.
Your presentations. Engage, and liven up your presentations with real client vignettes and quotes.
Your direct mail. Yes, snail mail is still very effective when done right. Write a short and creative cover letter and send out one story at a time. Flat 9×12 envelopes work best – do not fold into a #10.
Your email marketing. Give a brief intro of your client in an email and provide a link to their story and let people go further if they want. The click-throughs will surprise you.
Your media relations. Send your client stories to select journalists at industry periodicals. They need a steady stream of content ideas to fill their pages.
In addition to the above, we also see people using their client stories in sales, support and account management training. Client stories are also great client development and retention tools – clients that you feature become even bigger fans and even more loyal to your company!
And since most of us don’t have million dollar marketing budgets, your stories and distribution methods don’t have to cost a lot of money. You can however, build your stories once, and use them a million different ways.
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