'Top of Mind' Awareness

What it is? Why it's important? How to create it?

Out of sight, out of mind.
Sound familiar? In today's business world these six (6) words are the kiss of death. It's so important that countless reams of material have been written on this precise subject over the past few years. It needn't ever happen to you. Not when you understand the importance of creating and maintaining "top of mind" awareness with your customers and best prospects.

Today's Buyer
No matter what your line of business is, your customer has changed. Here's what we know about today's consumers:
- They're skeptical. Dishonesty has become part of every industry. Consumers don't know how to find somebody they can trust
- They're cautious. They don't want to make a commitment until they see the whole picture. Gather all the facts. Think through their decision
- They're tired of selling and sales pressure. From phone sales to junk mail, consumers are fed up
- They're busy. So busy, in fact, that they often don't take time to solve a problem until it becomes a priority. Or until somebody offers them a quick and easy solution
- They're confused. Never before have consumers had so many choices. And when they think about solving a problem, they don't know what to do - where to look - or whom to believe.

Today's consumers go to great lengths to arm themselves with information. They think the more information they have about a product or service, the better the decision they'll make.

What is 'Top of Mind' Awareness?
Not to bore you with statistics, but here's something you should factor into your marketing strategy. When consumers begin planning a major purchase, when would you guess they finally sign on the dotted line?

Here's the numbers according to a recent research:
15% - Bought within the first three months
24% - Bought within four to six months
34% - Bought within seven to twelve months
27% - Bought more than twelve months later

Could it be one of the reasons things don't always work out when you expect?

'Top of mind' awareness is owning the space that your product or service occupies between your prospects ears. That way, when they're ready to buy they think of you first.

There's nothing worse than creating an appetite for what you have and then having your prospect go somewhere else to eat. It won't happen to you if you plan (and execute) properly.

How to Maintain 'Top of Mind' Awareness
Today's buyer uses an information oriented decision process. That's where they:
- Gather information
- Review alternatives
- Choose one alternative
- Evaluate the decision after the fact.

Today's successful business professional uses this approach: "Get in at the beginning of the process, when the consumer is gathering facts relating to her/his problem or need… AND STAY THERE!

The best way to do that, once you've identified your best prospects, is to stay in touch. Through the mail, phone and email. Consistently.

Your goal must be to create an awareness of who you are and what you offer. So, when your prospect finally decides to buy, s/he immediately thinks of you.

But, "How do you keep from making a pest of yourself?"

The answer is to be helpful. We all want - and need - information so we can make an informed decision. Decide that YOU will be the source of that information. Don't we all appreciate help? Especially when it's given without any strings attached?

Why not do what the very successful do?

Educate your prospect. In an non-threatening manner and environment. All the time, you're creating ownership of your product or service in your prospects mind.

Identifying Your Best Prospects
Your best prospects are always your present best customers, and other people that look like them.

You can - or should be able to - identify your best customers. Once you've identified your most profitable customers, use their demographic profile to find more people that look like them.

So you have clients and you want to keep and continually serve them. It is always in your best interest to maintain TOMA (Top Of Mind Awareness) with your clients if you want to keep them. It has been my experience that satisfied clients usually welcome frequent contact (let’s say once a month) from businesses that have delivered superior, value added service in the recent past. It also found that the frequent communications will reinforce the bond you have with your client, renew or refresh their positive feelings about you and keep you and your company “on their mind.”

The frequent contact must be carefully and strategically planned and timed and provide some useful information or value to your client. The quality of your relationship with your clients is critical and is a primary value of your business. Treat your clients as your friends and do what is necessary to stay in your client’s thoughts. That is, achieve TOMA with your clients.

Here are 10 effective ideas for maintaining TOMA with your clients:
1. Strategically develop and implement a client contact management system to manage regular contact with your clients

2. Inform your clients first about any new product or service you are offering

3. Provide useful tips, articles, etc. or pass along information you have found that may be of value to your client

4. Ask clients for referrals and to pass along your newsletter, business brochure, business card, or other useful information

5. Inform your clients about seminars, webinars, teleseminars, workshops, conferences, speakers, etc. that could be of interest to your client

6. Send handwritten thank you notes to your clients

7. Make appointments with your clients to have a breakfast, lunch or dinner meeting

8. Be very accessible and available to your clients so you can be responsive to their inquiries and needs

9. Keep your clients informed and up-to-date about any changes in your business

10. Use multiple communication tools, such as invitations, post cards, newsletter, personalized letters, etc. to keep in touch with your clients

Again, your ultimate goal is to achieve TOMA with your clients so that you will be the first and maybe only source your client thinks of whenever he or she needs what you provide. This gives you a very powerful competitive advantage and adds value to your business. You have invested precious energy and financial resources to win your clients and now it is up to you to keep them.

Creating "Top of Mind Awareness" for Your Business. Using PR to help you become the go-to business:
- Plan Your Marketing Now
- Make Your Website Famous
- Communicate Your Benefits
- Gain a Competitive Advantage

Q: What can I do to make my business more well-known in the marketplace?
A: Ever run into that one person everyone refers to as "the computer guy"? How many times have you heard, "I need to go see the florist lady," or "I need to call the fix-it guy"? These labels didn't just happen because these people decided to enter that particular vocation, hang out their shingle and just assume their respective professional moniker. To assume icon status, you have to create what is known in marketing circles as "Top of Mind Awareness." When the need arises for a particular service or product, what is the first thing, name, company or store that comes to mind? Whether it's a person or a business, they have successfully achieved top of mind awareness. The goal of PR-and all marketing-is to be parked in your customers' minds right next to the need button; this button rests right at the top of their mind.

The more buzz about a product or service, obviously the more awareness exists. The more awareness exists, the higher the probability of being in that top of mind position.

Creating a buzz and awareness is done by many things, usually all working together synergistically. It's been said and written about in particular that marketing is made up of many, many, many things. Buzz and awareness work in much the same way.

Getting that label and moniker starts with announcing to the world-usually announcing to your particular target market-that you are in business. This is done with a press release that's sent to the media, handed out to prospects and customers, or used as a direct-mail piece. Posting the press release on your Web site is another effective communication.

Some companies don't have the buzz, yet they've been in business awhile. How then, can they start the process of awareness? They can't announce the grand opening of their business; it's too late in the game.

In this case, a press release can still be used. The information communicated is just different. Since we stated that marketing is made up of many, many things, the buzz is not just dependent on a start-up announcement. There are many media and news-related items that can be communicated about a company or organization. Anniversaries, relocations, new products, new services, promotions and so on are just a few examples.

In addition to buzzing through the media, being seen contributes to awareness. This is where networking plays a large part. Public presentations are highly effective. They not only provide exposure, but also the extra bonus of credibility that happens when you establish yourself as an expert.