Tag Archives: sales

CTU – Online Course: DMKT300 Finalized 3/24/2021

Table of Contents

Introduction3

• What is Patterson Plumbing all about?
• Marketing Strategies in Use
• Does it have an updated, functional website? Explain the website and your impressions of how functional and customer-friendly it is.
• Does it engage in e-commerce? Does it engage e-business? Explain the differences.
• Does the company engage in Internet marketing practices? Describe them.
• What types of social media accounts does the company use? Are they updated, and do they look like customers are using them?
• Can you determine what type of technologies the company uses to support customers online? What about its business partners?
• Strengths and weaknesses.

Consumer Relationship Management5

• Description of the general customer touch points (customer interaction)
• Description of the customer profile, stressing the psychographics (psychological qualities) of your target market.
• List of the 3–4 most important image goals that you wish to use to ensure that your target market is successfully attracted to your e-commerce efforts.

Internet Branding & Marketing Plan: Strategies for Web Pages8

• Market analysis summary
• Brand strategy
• Customer engagement plan examining your concept’s Web pages only.
• Description of the various technologies that were used.
• Recency, frequency, monetary (RFM) analysis of customers that will be used to customize promotional marketing campaigns.
• Description of performance metrics that were used, and the importance of each.

Internet Branding & Marketing Plan: Integrated Communications Strategies11

• Customer engagement plan examining 2 other communications.
• Explanation of how the communications represent integrated communications to the consumer.

Development of Lasting Customer Relationships13

• Strategy for developing a lasting customer relationship.
• Justification of the strategy for developing a lasting customer relationship.

Page 1

Introduction to Patterson Plumbing

                It was not until recently that individual-owned businesses of various types began popping up all over Fayette County, Texas; Patterson Plumbing is one of the many! The turn of recent life events, in fact, is what led me to discovering this family-owned business that will be relocating to my hometown very soon. My goal is to implement this project directly into the business and figure out what the strengths and weaknesses of Patterson Plumbing are on a digital marketing scale.

Marketing Strategies in Use Today

                After a lengthy discussion with the owner himself, I was able to discover that Patterson Plumbing relies mostly on word of mouth and the hand-off of business cards to gain most of its business. Mr. Patterson also partakes in social media advertising as well, however, it is not on a regular basis like it needs to be to really get the word out about the relocation of the family.

                Being in a small community like La Grange, Texas makes it difficult to advertise in general, and the chosen one trade of any person can make it more difficult assuming the chosen trade is of no general interest to the public. Lucky for Patterson Plumbing, however, this community is in desperate need of licensed plumbers especially considering the recent drastic weather changes we have endured! Mr. Reggie Patterson has a Facebook account he uses occasionally for advertising as I have mentioned, but at this time there is no company webpage, which means that unless a customer has his direct contact information or is a friend to him on Facebook, finding him or finding out about him would be a difficult task! I have taken a look at Mr. Patterson’s Facebook account on a first-hand basis and can say that there is little to no customer interaction.

                Two important internet marketing practices are e-commerce and e-business if a business owner wants a strong, loyal list of customers or clients. E-commerce is used when it is common for a business to conduct transactions over the internet, some examples of e-commerce include Facebook Pay, Chime, Cash App, Pay Pal, and many more. For a business such as Patterson Plumbing, where a customer pays in person usually with cash, e-commerce probably would not be very much help. However, if Mr. Patterson’s social media or future website were to really start pulling in customers, e-commerce would be something to consider.

                E-business is like e-commerce in the ways of transacting business digitally, but a much greater scale is involved. The five factions of e-business include E-procurement, online stores, online marketplace, online communities, and online companies.

Page 2

                As of now, Patterson Plumbing does not participate in any of the e-business factions, despite the owner having expressed interest in being a bigger part of the digital world. Realistically, Patterson Plumbing does not have the customer relationships it needs to be able to practice e-business right now. Business partners would also be helpful in obtaining a strong, e-business network of customers or clients and unfortunately Patterson Plumbing does not have any business partners either.

Strengths	Weaknesses
Business Cards	No Website
Personal Social Media	No Social Media Customer Interaction
Company Vehicle	E-commerce
Tools for the Job	E-business
Friendly Word of Mouth	No Business Partners

Page 3

Customer Interaction

                Research was not needed much for me to successfully describe the customer interaction tactics that Patterson Plumbing utilizes, since I have seen them on a first – hand basis. There are several factors that would make it very easy to recommend this family – operated company to anyone in need of plumbing assistance. First off when my husband crossed paths with Mr. Reggie Patterson while at work, Mr. Patterson did not hesitate in saying that he would be at our home the very next day to look at our water heater, and hopefully fix the issues. When the time came, he arrived right on schedule and did not leave until the job was complete. While he was working on the water heater, I went out to inspect what had been done every so often and asked a few times to clarify that the quoted price was not expected to change because I began to realize that he was doing extra work to ensure that the water heater operated successfully in the future. Each time he was approached there was no hesitation to walk me through what he was working on, and what he planned to do next which brought me a lot of comfort. Finally, as the day came to an end and the job was about finished, he still stayed around long enough for me to test the faucets within our home.

                Other positive factors that would result in a positive customer relationship would include a company vehicle, which Patterson Plumbing does own. Upon entering our driveway, the first thing I noticed was the cleanliness of the vehicle itself as well as a nicely printed banner down both sides. Tools for the job also makes a company like Patterson Plumbing look legit and professional. Being curious by nature like I am, I did ask to see the tools that he uses regularly, after which I noticed how organized the tools are. Finally, while it may not be able to work miracles, a legible business card is still important especially if there are face – to – face interactions regularly like there must be with Patterson Plumbing.

Customer Profile

From what I have seen Patterson Plumbing has an immaculate customer profile so far! Mr. Reggie Patterson is a very approachable businessman with the dedication that is needed for his trade of choice. He is upfront and honest about what he has or lacks in the ways of tools, and if there is a needed tool, he is quick to find it. Patterson Plumbing is a reliable company, despite them lacking digital marketing strategies, that is always on time to any one job and ensures that the job is completed successfully.

Patterson Plumbing is hoping to utilize Facebook, updating the company business card, paying for a webpage, and hopefully acquiring a new company vehicle to ensure that their loyal customers get the absolute best service available soon. Also, being that the family’s relocation is still in progress, it is likely they will bring the loyal customers that they already have with them in a sense, which would make for some solid references and secure business for the company on a long – term basis.

Page 4

Future Image Goals for Patterson Plumbing

Social Media Interaction

There is a four – step process that I hope to work with Patterson Plumbing to implement in hopes that it will help the company thrive in a new area, and eventually gain new, lasting customer relationships. The first step I brought to Mr. Patterson’s attention, is the company’s need for local advertising with the help of Facebook and other social media platforms.

To help myself solidify why this is a must for his business I did some research on top benefits to social media advertising. The envelope of what I discovered is that utilizing social media for advertising purposes grows awareness to your brand of choice, in this case Patterson Plumbing. According to an online blog I found, there are 5 top benefits to utilizing social media that every business should consider, no matter the size. The first is the creation of your brand individually, and usually this is accomplished using logos, banners, custom – designed ads, or any combination of the three. Secondly, the importance of conversation surrounding your personal brand needs to be recognized. If it is not spoken on or mentioned, word of mouth would likely come to a screeching halt, resulting in a loss of business. The third top factor is connecting with your audience using tools of an audio aspect. Social media gives a variety of tools to accomplish this including, Facebook Live, TikTok, Instagram videos, and more. Fourth down the list is telling your story, and usually this happens in the form of a backstory on the company website, or in the “About me,” section of a Facebook page. Finally, taking note of customer suggestions and feedback is essential because without it, a company like Patterson Plumbing will not have solid ground to stand on.

Page 5

Official Company Website

I began my practices in the web development realm years before I started my career with CTU, and over time I have learned the several important factions that can help any company thrive if delivered with relevance to the business! The first thing you will see if you visit a company website is the home page. The home page will generally consist of a list of services or products, followed by descriptions and prices, which is all started with a slogan, picture, or anything else that makes the company unique. The second tab of a standard website is usually an about page, which normally contains the backstory of the company, the founders, and any staff members that may be higher up in the company such as a general manager. The third and final standard page for a basic website is the contact page. This page is known for containing a visual for the base of operation usually provided by Google Maps, which is followed by a form asking for a customer’s general contact information, which is then followed by the contact e-mail, phone number, fax number, and address of the business.

E-Commerce / E-Business

The final step I wish to implement for Patterson Plumbing is e-commerce/e-business! What makes this step so vital for this business is the ability to provide convenient methods of pay for the customer. The two applications that I strongly advised Mr. Patterson to consider are Facebook Pay and Cash App. These applications are perfect for online transactions, and super easy to set up for the business owner and the customer. More importantly, if the social interaction is taking place, any customers or clients that are gained using Facebook are going to be more eager to hire Patterson Plumbing when they discover what methods of pay the company allows!

Page 6

How is Patterson Plumbing performing?

With everything I have learned through research and personal experience, I can say with certainty that there is a lot holding Patterson Plumbing back at this time. Fortunately, the family is willing to take the first step by relocating to a new community. After the relocation is complete and they can successfully begin communication with the locals, I believe the business will take off quickly. Some of the steps they are taking to keep business flow from one location to another include maintaining a valid business card, relying on word – of – mouth, maintaining the company vehicle, and keeping the will to travel for a new customer’s needs.

                Unfortunately, since there is no digital marketing taking place, there are a lot of doors that are not open for Mr. Patterson. The steps required to open these doors revolve around the plan of action that I plan to propose once this research project is completed, which include digital marketing using social media platforms, the eventual creation of a website, e-commerce, and e-business, and maybe becoming a business partner in the future. I would like to take this opportunity to discuss further factions that I feel may help these courses of action in detail.

Brand Strategy

Brand, by definition, is the make of a product or service. It can also be considered the signature of a company or product. For example, some brands that many are familiar with include the giant, “M,” above any Mc’ Donald’s restaurant, or the famous check mark for Nike shoes.

                While Patterson Plumbing has a pretty banner going across the company vehicle, there is no actual logo or brand to speak on. Obtaining a brand is not required for Mr. Patterson now, but should he ended up needing to place a patent on something later, a brand would be a useful tool to have, because they are commonly used as watermarks. That said, one of the first pieces of advice I gave Mr. Patterson was to have a brand or logo designed as soon as possible.

Page 7

Customer Engagement Plan

The ultimate plan to maximize customer engagement is to first reach out to the local community to make them aware of the services Mr. Patterson is currently offering. More importantly, making sure the services provided are always up – to – date, and that the customers know it. A positive way to begin the practice of this process is to make sure there is an active social media platform that is regularly used. Next, the social media account should be utilized to reach out to other business pages, groups, and people. Finally, the time has come to incorporate sales, whether they change daily, weekly, or monthly. Since there is no active company website currently, social media interaction is a must for the locals to be aware of Mr. Patterson’s business! After all, there is only so much that word – of – mouth can accomplish when you are brand new to the area.

Technology for Online Interaction

                Unfortunately, Patterson Plumbing is severely lacking in the ways of online interaction since most of the business takes place over the phone or in person. Because of this, I decided to do some research on the top marketing platforms to use in a business setting. The chart below was provided by Capterra, an online software blog for digital marketing.

Page 8

This detailed list contains the top 10 digital marketing software tools according to Capterra, each of which provides an assortment of services for the business owner or marketing manager. The list also states whether each application is mobile – friendly, desktop – friendly, cloud – capable, or any combination of the three. If you look closely, though you will notice that only a few provide every service at the top of the chart, it is these applications that I would like to discuss further.

Monday.com

                The homepage of this software application has a lot to say, more specifically, Mr. Patterson would be able to hand pick what it is that he wants to manage. Monday.com offers the selection of social media, content calendars, strategic planning, campaign tracking, email marketing, event planning, research, PR, design and creative, media production, and digital assets.

Clickup

                The features for Clickup are a bit different, so it probably would not hurt to cover both platforms. The list of features Clickup provides include processing, tasks, time management, integrations, customization, team collaboration, apps and devices, and reporting. While Clickup may have a functional website, there were a few red flags that would deter up – and – coming business owners.

Performance Conclusion            

In conclusion, my course of business proposal has been expanded a bit with this research. Mr. Patterson could benefit a lot from the new sources I have found. What I am sure of at the day’s end, is that they horizon of his digital marketing practices desperately need to broaden, and this can only be accomplished if he takes the proper steps.

Page 9

Customer Engagement

                Customer engagement is a vital factor for a business of any type or size. It is because of this that I decided to broaden my scope and look for a “Top – 10,” type list of customer engagement methods that are in use by actual businesses today and pick the 5 that are the most relevant to Patterson Plumbing. “SMB,” is a small business article written by Kate Vogel, and in this article, Kate describes 10 different customer engagement strategies in use by various small businesses today.

Engagement across different channels.

                The first tactic for customer engagement that caught my attention is engaging across different channels. Put plainly, what this means is to obtain the capability of reaching your customers across various platforms. Currently, the only social media platform in use by Patterson Plumbing is Facebook. There is no business page or group, which tells me that the active Facebook account is used mainly on a personal level. Other decent social media advertising for Patterson Plumbing would be either Pinterest or Instagram for before and after photos of company work, or Twitter for feedback or announcing new company deals. Etsy, Amazon, or eBay would also be a very good options if the company were ever to place a patent on an invention or company vehicle.

Shout out your reviews.

                From personal experience, I find that the two most effective tactics for showcasing reviews are company webpages, or social media private groups with people that are interested in following the business of trade. Patterson Plumbing would greatly benefit from this, especially positive reviews, because there are not many more effective ways to gain customer loyalty then positive reviews from previous customers. I am fond of using Facebook to shout my reviews, whether that be reviews on myself, or shouting out positive feedback on a company that I may visit.

Reward engagement

                To implement rewards for a business such as Patterson Plumbing would be tricky, but doable all the same. One way to accomplish this, that I have already proposed to Mr. Patterson is to consider giving the customers a complimentary service if they have already spent over a set dollar amount or by providing this complimentary service as part of the consultation meeting.

                Hypothetically, let us say a customer needs a hot water repaired like my family did, and the total amount we need to pay for service is $700 to fix everything. A good reward amount to discount at that point would be $50 – $100.

Page 10

Make good on feedback.

                There are a lot of cases when it comes to small businesses were making a point to remember feedback and putting it to use wherever possible will keep customer loyalty on a long – term basis. This can be difficult to accomplish, especially if it means changing ways of providing your service because you have received negative feedback for some reason. One way I like to make sure I accomplish this tactic is by asking for feedback directly and being open to negative or positive opinions. Even if there is no time to change what has already been done, I take the negative feedback and put it to use on the next project.

Keep your Promises!

Probably the most important factor in maintaining strong customer loyalty is keeping professional promises. There are many types of promises that would come with a business such as Patterson Plumbing include being on time to each job, notifying the customer if the company will arrive behind schedule, maintaining a quoted price regardless of any extra work, having the tools for job, and acquiring the proper tools they are not on hand at the time. Keeping each promise with every customer is what fuels word – of – mouth, and what will ultimately bring in new customers.

Integrated Communications

                If all tactics listed above are implemented, communications will become clearer, more efficient, and happen regularly from Patterson Plumbing to its customers. This will be evident through social media, phone calls, digital transactions, and face – to – face customer interaction.

                Integration is to combine two factors and make them whole, and in the case of Patterson Plumbing, those two factors are the business and its customers communicating on a regular basis. For communications to be integrated, the process of communicating must be clear and consistent with the information and services Patterson Plumbing provides, for as long as it stays evident that Patterson Plumbing has the interest of its customers at heart, customer loyalty will remain strong for a long period of time!

Page 11

New Virtual Marketing

What new virtual method was introduced to Patterson Plumbing?

                My adventure in digital marketing took on a positive light when I began working as a social media manager for a local business, and I was quick to pass on what I learned to Patterson Plumbing when the company came to our home to fix the water heater. The tool that I introduced was Facebook advertising, because as silly as it may seem, the social media platform has some powerful tools to get the job done. The main ones that I use, which are the strategies I introduced to Patterson Plumbing, include a personal and active Facebook account, a business page within the platform, connecting with the business groups or pages of others, creating a business group for Patterson Plumbing, finally using the virtual business card when services or products are promoted!

                To reinforce my strategy, I was able to create a sample business card for Mr. Patterson while he was working at the home of my family and told him he was more than welcome to use it as a virtual business card. The business card I created contained his name, business name, phone number, e-mail, and the main services that he provides. He was pleased with the appearance of the business card and told me that he planned on showing it to his wife as well.

                There was also a lengthy conversation about the general layout of a business webpage, and the different ways it can be connection to an active Facebook account. Some of the different ways include embedding a button that takes on the appearance of the Facebook logo, embedding a hyperlink to the Facebook account on the bottom of the business website, or embedding the active account into the social bar on the website.

Page 12

What are the different ways to advertise through Facebook?

            I am not sure how many people or businesses are aware of this but there is a separate side of Facebook designed to be used by business of any type. What I love about this part of the platform is that comes fully equipped with an ad manager that has all types of capabilities! The first important factor to note about Facebook advertising is that it is mobile and desktop friendly which can open many more doors if a business owner is agile with graphic design or photography.

                I would like to take a moment to dig a little deeper into everything that the Facebook ad manager can accomplish for Patterson Plumbing, starting with the ability to create ad campaigns. As you may already know, a campaign is a process in which an individual or business actively works towards a certain goal, and usually that goal is accomplished on a social basis. Well, what better way to run an advertising campaign to meet a sale goal than advertising on one of the biggest social media platforms in the world! In addition to creating new campaigns, Facebook advertising can also be used to reviewing one and adjusting it when needed which would obviously be helpful if problems within the campaign were to arise. There is also the option of learning how to run efficient campaigns from real campaign reports using the ad manager’s help center, so if you or someone you know are new to the game of advertising there is no need to worry; Facebook has you covered!

                The Facebook ad manager also provides two powerful tools for ad creation: quick creations and guided creations. Both strategies are useful to anyone that may be an amateur, novice, or expert when it comes to hand – designing ads. To further dig into both tactics, look at the descriptions below that have been taken directly from the ad manager webpage.

                “Guided creation uses a step-by-step wizard to walk you through the steps an advertiser would take to launch a common campaign. Choose this option if you’re less familiar with all the components of Facebook ad campaigns.” (Facebook, 2021)

Page 13

“Quick creation gives you the freedom to set up the campaign, ad set, and ad elements in any order. Quick creation is a good choice for advanced advertisers.” (Facebook, 2021)

How can Facebook secure customer loyalty?

You are likely wondering by now, “How can a social media platform like Facebook secure customer loyalty?” To put it simply, customer loyalty is a process that requires certain active steps like anything else when you need to help your business thrive. There are also different techniques to accomplish the process, and according to Marcus Ho they include, “Rewarding loyal fans, educating fans about the product, and communicating with their customers.” (SEJ, 2014)

                Time to dig into each technique a little further by setting up some examples for Patterson Plumbing specifically! There are not as many ways a plumbing business could reward its customers without losing profit, but one way that I did bring to Mr. Patterson’s attention would be a soft discount for a certain amount spent on services done by Patterson Plumbing.

                The example I use to explain the product or service to Mr. Patterson’s customers is a real – world experience. I have always been curious by nature and if something catches my attention such as a tool or process, I am usually quick to ask questions to satisfy that curiosity. I did a lot of this while Mr. Patterson was here and hard at work that day, and to my surprise he was just as eager to answer all my questions, most of which were answered with a sense of pride.

                There is only one factor that can be called the center building block of social media in a general sense: communication! Communication also happens to be one of the main building blocks for a successful business whether it is family – owned or a corporate chain! For Patterson Plumbing, the communication is mainly face – to – face or over the phone, however if Mr. Patterson were to make his business digital by utilizing Facebook for businesses, it would open a ton of new doors and secure customer loyalty on a long – term basis.

Page 14

How does Facebook create emotional connections from Patterson Plumbing to its customers?

It is my belief that when Facebook was created, it was done so on an emotional basis even if it does not seem that way now. In that knowledge, it stands to reason that any time an ad campaign, individual ad, or a personal post is engaged with or responded to an emotional connection is made; especially if the reaction is made in a positive light! It is for all these reasons that I feel emotional connection via Facebook is not only important for Patterson Plumbing, but it also justifies the entire plan of attack for Facebook advertising, and how it can help Mr. Patterson make sure that his business takes off and has a long-life span that eventually leads to business partners, managers, and long – term customer loyalty!

References

1. E-commerce. (n.d.). Retrieved February 28, 2021, from https://www.dictionary.com/browse/e-commerce?s=t
2. What is e-business: Meaning, types, components, model, and features: Temok hosting blog. (2020, August 05). Retrieved February 28, 2021, from https://www.temok.com/blog/what-is-e-business/
3.  Dukart, B. (2020, December 28). 20 benefits of social media marketing every business should know. Retrieved March 04, 2021, from https://coschedule.com/blog/benefits-of-social-media-marketing-for-business/
4. All the features, without all the mess. (n.d.). Retrieved March 10, 2021, from https://clickup.com/features
5. I just USED CAPTERRA to FIND SOFTWARE! (n.d.). Retrieved March 10, 2021, from https://www.capterra.com/
6. Marketing management software. (n.d.). Retrieved March 10, 2021, from https://monday.com/marketing
7. Integrate. (n.d.). Retrieved March 18, 2021, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/integrate
8. Vogel, K. (2021, March 01). 10 customer engagement strategies from real small businesses. Retrieved March 18, 2021, from https://www.ringcentral.com/us/en/blog/customer-engagement-strategies/#five
9. Facebook ads manager. (n.d.). Retrieved March 24, 2021, from https://www.facebook.com/business/tools/ads-manager?content_id=thVhl4Ss3zguODY&ref=sem_smb&utm_source=GOOGLE&utm_medium=fbsmbsem&utm_campaign=PFX_SEM_G_BusinessAds_US_EN_Brand_Exact_Desktop&utm_content=Advertising_Evaluating&kenid=_k_CjwKCAjwxuuCBhATEiwAIIIz0egDgsP9SdcBeAteUAI2iO_dQkc3scE-I-KUAEp_cUazViWdgcLtqBoCOJAQAvD_BwE_k_&utm_term=facebook+and+advertising&utm_ct=EVG&gclid=CjwKCAjwxuuCBhATEiwAIIIz0egDgsP9SdcBeAteUAI2iO_dQkc3scE-I-KUAEp_cUazViWdgcLtqBoCOJAQAvD_BwE
10. Ho, M. (2014, November 19). 3 techniques to Boost Facebook CUSTOMER loyalty: Sej. Retrieved March 25, 2021, from https://www.searchenginejournal.com/3-techniques-boost-customer-loyalty-facebook/118550/#close