Working with leads and business positioning: top tips for entrepreneurs

Houston, we have leads! What do we do with them?

“I see the elixir of success as a clear idea of the goal, a detailed action plan and the determination to make it happen.”

No one can argue that the shopping experience has changed in the modern world. Consumers are constantly bombarded with advertising, annoying promotions and an endless choice of products. In this environment, a company has the only way to succeed – to stand out.

The rules of the game have changed. And very seriously.

Businesses can no longer rely on massive advertising and “one size fits all” strategies. It’s no longer about finding customers, it’s about being found. However, if your marketing team has done a good enough job of getting found, the work is far from over – it’s only just begun!

Companies need to learn how to continuously build relationships with individual customers. It’s not enough to just sell a product – a business has to meet the needs of its audience. But it is not enough to reach them using the available channels, you need to reach them in the way they want.

You need to attract attention by providing valuable content, ideas and, most importantly, solutions. It is very important to know that even if a product is perfect, no one will buy it if no one knows about it.

Working with leads: "Hack of the Customer Flow"

In any business, lead tracking is essential for success. However, it’s not just about making contact with potential customers. Lead generation is important, but it needs to be done in tandem with other activities. It’s about building relationships, delivering value, and ultimately closing deals. And this is where the Hack of the Customer PoToCu method can help. It consists of four key stages, each of which is aimed at optimising the customer experience at all levels of the customer lifecycle:

1. Leadgeneration pressure

• The idea: To actively engage potential customers through creative marketing campaigns.
• Tools: Use of social media, targeted advertising, viral campaigns.
• Objective: To create a stream of interested leads that feeds further stages of the process.

2. Conversion boost

• The idea: To effectively convert leads into regular customers through the application of targeted strategies.
• Tools: Personalised offers, test purchases, product demos.
• Objective: To maximise the conversion of leads into customers, ensuring stable growth of the customer base.

3. Loyalty 2.0

• The idea: Maintaining and improving relationships with existing customers through innovative approaches.
• Tools: Loyalty programmes, regular updates, personalised services.
• Objective: To ensure long-term customer loyalty and reduce customer churn.

4. Resuscitation

• The idea: Reconnect with lost customers through personalised offers and special promotions.
• Tools: Retargeting, special promotions, individual approach.
• Objective: Returning customers who left the company by encouraging them to make repeat purchases.

Who we are or "Positioning"

What is a brand and how to create it? How to become visible to the client? Who is our target audience? How do we differ from our competitors? All these questions are asked by startup founders in one way or another. And they are all about the company’s positioning. It all comes down to one thing: how to turn a lead into a customer?

An effective positioning strategy not only defines the scope of a brand’s communication strategy, but also provides a clear direction for all creative content, ultimately defining what your brand is.

Think of it as a roadmap designed to help you set your brand apart from the competition, and give you the foundation you need to ensure that your customers can feel the difference too.

Remember that any client who pays attention to your startup will always ask these questions! They are always running through the customer’s mind, even if they don’t voice them! He thinks about them and leaves without buying anything because he didn’t see answers to these questions in your communications.

Try to formulate an answer to the simplest and most popular question right now:

Why should I buy from you?

When starting a business, it is critical to have a clear answer to this question. If you find it difficult to answer it, you may want to postpone the project launch for a while. And if you have an answer, take your time and check it for quality.

Checklist for checking the quality of your answer

1. Originality above all

Example: If everyone on the market says: “We guarantee quality service and customer satisfaction”, say: “Our team focuses on an individual approach to each customer and provides personalised solutions.”

2. Your answer is important to the customer.

Example: When we launched our  WOW ялинку, we ensured that our Christmas trees were as environmentally friendly as possible. This was very important for our customers who want to celebrate Christmas in an environmentally friendly way.

3. Your answer is clear and understandable (pay attention here!).

Example: Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs underestimate the importance of a clearly articulated answer to the question “Why you?”. In my experience of 500  business interviews, 80% of business owners give basic answers: “Our prices are cheaper” or “Our website is more convenient”.

However, such answers do not work. Most competitors use similar phrases, so your business does not stand out from the crowd. Potential customers do not understand why you are better than your competitors and why they should choose you.

Saying “cheaper” is not the same as “20% cheaper”. People don’t just buy products or services, they buy solutions to their problems and satisfaction of their needs.

4. Your answer is the whole truth (only the truth!).

Example: “Yes, we are a start-up. We’ve been on the market for 1 year, but in this short time we’ve managed to become experts in our niche.”

5. Your answer should wake up

Example: At  KIYSERVICE we extend the life of household appliances so that customers don’t have to spend extra money on new ones.

6. Answer clearly and convincingly

Example: I have conducted more than 500 business reviews and helped entrepreneurs find their growth point, and I will help you, book your meeting here..

7. It is important to keep your answer short.

Example: People usually don’t listen to or read long texts and adverts. Here’s a life hack: if you list 3 reasons why customers should buy from you, start with the last one. This will attract and keep their attention, as people often lose interest after the first one.

8. The answer should be memorable.

Example: There are two ways to achieve this. The first is to have a clear and concise catchphrase.

It’s important not only to repeat your positioning often, but also to embed it in all advertising materials and communications so that it sticks in the audience’s mind.

Nurturing leads is like finding the perfect date. The first impression is important, but it is not enough. Potential customers will not agree to work with you just because you have an attractive website or product packaging. They have choices and many other options, and they need to know why they should go with you. Customers need constant attention and proof that you are the right person for them in their lives.

By investing time and effort in lead nurturing, you can create loyal customers who will be profitable for years to come.