By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
Its all about the customer, Pam Atherton, noted speaker, radio host and media strategist told about 50 business people Thursday evening, April 21st at the Raton Convention Center.
It was noted that all but a handful of the 50 business people present were from the downtown area which Atherton noted was curious, since she was there to help business people learn how to promote their businesses by thinking more like a customer and what benefits the customer rather than the business.
Atherton asked the business people what they thought was Raton and the responses she got are what she calls characteristics of Raton. What she pointed out was that the business owners needed to think more about the emotion and benefit to the customer. One example she used was a radio remote she did for a pawn shop. Her approach was not so much about what was in the shop but that why spend so much money on a new drum set, come by the pawn shop where we have this wonderful used drum set for much less than brand new and test it out to find out if the student wasn’t going to abandon the instrument in a few weeks.
Another example she used was selling a camera. Graduation was coming up soon and her sales idea is that its not about what the camera has as she noted there are several cameras with the same specs. How she sold the camera was to use an emotional spin by telling the customer that yes graduation is coming and this camera will fit in your pocket and how nice it will be to pull the camera out of your pocket and take the photos you want and then stick it back in your pocket and be ready for the hugs and congrats for your senior. Then once again pull the camera out knowing you have these wonderful pictures in your pocket.
Her point is simply explain the benefits of the product to the customer as she noted tell them What’s In It For Me (WIIFM) me being the customer. When asked about Raton in general once again the answers were characteristics of Raton and that the thinking has to change to tell people why they want to live here. Tell them the benefits of living in Raton by promoting the events and things to do in Raton.
Atherton also noted that there are four generations of customers and that each one has to be approached differently because they are different in how they get their news and what they are used to doing. For example, the baby boomers are older and more often than not will pickup a news paper where the GenX and younger not only wont listen to the same radio station their parents listen to but will most likely get their news via social media or the internet and not even pickup a paper. She noted you need to know your audience in order to reach them and you have to use different media and methods to reach the audience you are promoting to.
She went on to suggest businesses promote Raton by creating package deals in conjunction with an event such as the Rendezvous by offering an overnight stay to come and watch the musket shooting event. Make the promotion a radio contest in a place like Albuquerque or Denver. That way you get people from out of town to come to Raton rather than just promoting to the locals.
She also noted how important a fast internet connection is, in Raton the lack of was something that many of the people in the audience commented on. Atherton noted that social media was a very important way to get the word out as well. She went to note that there were some in Raton that were doing a good job at that but they lacked pictures or video to promote an event.
Atherton asked those in attendance what they came away with and many felt that they did indeed need to change the way they think and promote the business they have. That collaboration among the businesses to create sales events that expose one’s customers to another’s business and customers was a great idea and that they would begin planning events soon.
