Don't overlook databases in long-term marketing strategy

Databases not only provide data and information that can be acted on at once, they also produce results when used as part of a long-term strategy for identifying new customers, keeping existing ones, and luring past customers back.

Database marketing for new leads

When it comes to new leads, an effective long-term strategy makes use of database marketing, using several techniques to find these leads. Firstly, impact radius marketing, which is essentially sending out marketing literature and other materials to people in a similar geographic region as your business and other customers, identifying individuals you could realistically influence to do business with you. After all, if your customers in this area are benefiting from your products, there's a reasonable expectation that other people in the area, who share several demographic features, could also benefit.

The second technique is drip marketing, which is a communication strategy that sends, or 'drips', marketing communication messages such as emails to customers or prospects over time. The messages follow a pre-set course, and are 'dripped' in an order that ties in to a specific behaviour from the prospect.

In terms of getting past customers on board again, the database holds valuable data on clients who have previously bought and used your products or services.

Marketing campaigns and programmes can be designed using this data to re-stimulate their interest in your business. Using the database helps the business understand what needs they had before, and there is a fairly good chance they will still have those needs. Moreover, the database can be used to design discounts, special offers, and cross-selling based on particular interests that you know about.

Mine existing database clients for new business

For new business, don't forget that clients already in your databases are a potential source for referrals. Here again, assumptions can be made that your customers - family, friends and similar could also have an interest in your products and services. Mine the database for possible referral sources, and tailor-make offers and rewards that will tempt your clients into providing you with direct referrals.