How Your Furniture Company Can Own the “Fifth P” of Marketing

Engage people with personalized connections that inspire participation

Every Marketing 101 college textbook from the last half-century has listed the all-important “4 Ps of Marketing,” which include:

· Product (what you sell)
· Price (how much you sell it for)
· Place (where you sell it)
· Promotion (how you attract attention to your product)

But the marketing industry has changed dramatically in the last five decades, and even in the last five years.

A fifth “P” of marketing has been added to the list of essentials: PEOPLE.

By understanding the fifth P, you can create an effective marketing campaign that goes beyond sales to create long-lasting connections with your furniture company. People participate with your brand in many ways, from social media posts to mobile apps to personalized experiences in the store. Get to know the different types of people that inhabit your brand’s world to maximize their positive effects on your business: Employees, Customers, and Potentials.

People In Your Inner Circle: EMPLOYEES

The people who work for your businesses can be powerful marketing allies or they can sabotage your efforts. Everyone knows that employees who are happy to work for you will also do a better job. But happy employees also create a wellspring of positive marketing messages. Every time they talk with friends about their job, they’re spreading the message that your company treats its employees right – that your company actually cares. This is a powerful message to share.

But unhappy employees also spread messages. Rude, angry, or irritated salespeople will drive away customers. Some people just don’t belong in customer service, and they shouldn’t have direct customer contact. Does the person who answers your phone sound annoyed or like they just don’t give a damn? Replace them. After a negative personal experience, many potential customers may never give you another chance.

Don’t forget about your online employees, either. Who responds to your emails, your Facebook messages, your reviews on Yelp? Are they courteous and professional 100% of the time? Do they monitor conversations about your brand online and have an active presence, week after week? Do they respond promptly to online inquiries?

Your employees are your inner circle – make sure you have the right people for the right job.

People Who Buy Your Products: CUSTOMERS

True brand connections last far longer than one sale. Strengthen each customer’s relationship with your company with a personalized approach.

How well do you know your customers? What are their pain points, and how can your product solve them? What are their biggest dreams, and how can your product tap into those desires? What sort of language do they use? Are they empty-nesters or new parents? Are they more concerned with style or price? Do they prefer Facebook or Instagram?

Understanding your target audience is the first step to developing the kind of personalized experiences that are essential in the modern marketplace. If you want to break through today’s information onslaught, you have to tailor your marketing message to your customers.

So get to know them! Valuable sources of information include:

· Web Data
· Market Research
· Sales Team Feedback
· Customer Surveys
· Competitive Analysis
· Buying Trends

People Who Interact with Your Company: POTENTIALS

Not everyone who interacts with your business is an employee or a customer. Some are just browsing in your furniture store or scrolling through your online inventory. Some are delivering your packages or cleaning your office building. Some are social media influencers posting about new furniture fashions. Some may have just wandered into your store by mistake.

Every person who interacts with your company in any way is a potential connection to a new customer and a new sale. People that have a good experience with your company will tell others and may even become customers in the future. Even if they never buy anything from you, they can still be a conduit to attract other customers.

Treating everyone you encounter with politeness is a no-brainer, but you need to go beyond pleasantries and engage them. Engage people in person, on the phone, and online. Have conversations. Encourage online comments. Get to know people’s names. That’s not just the UPS guy – that’s Dave who has three kids and plays soccer on the weekends.

Giving people a little bit of your precious time is the best way to show that you genuinely care. Engaging with people creates the kind of positive connection that transforms potential customers into paying ones.

Make the Fifth P Work for You with Furniture Branding

It’s a brave new world in the marketing industry – and it’s changing every day. The five Ps are never static; they evolve alongside the market and your unique business needs. Let the experts at Furniture Branding guide you through all the dynamic changes and help you to stay on top of your business game. Do you want to know more? Please contact us online or by calling 818.714.2484.