The Whole Enchilada

 Marketing is made up of more than strategies, plans, advertising, promotions, events, websites.  Marketing involves the entire customer experience from first exposure on through the sale and to followup activities (and hopefully to repeat sales).  From the moment your customer is first exposed to your company, she is influenced by every sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch of your company.  Every person in your organization is involved in the marketing message your client receives…whether good or bad.  Most companies fall far short of delivering an exciting, seamless customer experience.  Give them the whole enchilada, and your company will be different from everybody else.   Your goal is to surpass every one of your client’s expectations by providing a congruent, flawless marketing experience for your customer.  Think about this.  What do your surroundings say about your business?  How does the building look and smell?  Is there clutter everywhere?  How clean is the kitchen?  Is your coffee good, quality-tasting coffee, or the cheapest stuff you could find?  How is your customer greeted?  What music do they hear on hold?  Does your website image match your company’s capabilities and reinforce the image you are trying to convey?  Does your customer feel welcomed and appreciated by the chef, welder, stock person, mechanic,  draftsman, carpenter, floor supervisor, accountant and everyone else involved in all of the behind-the-scenes functions that make things happen?  If not, they should.  Does your customer feel welcomed, appreciated, and celebrated by the greeter, delivery driver, warranty service technician?  Marketing encompasses every single aspect of your business.  So, brew a pot of fresh, hot coffee and put a thank you note in with your invoices.