Do you want to grow your business?

I think we all do.  I’m not saying that we want to grow at any cost and I’m not saying that the definition of growth is the same for you as is it for me.  I do believe, however, that what we all have in common is the desire for our perfect customers to know who we are, what value we bring to the market place and why they should do – or continue to do – business with us.

Over the last few weeks we have been on a quest to create a list of over 77 Customer Touchpoints that businesses just like yours can innovate into Unexpected Encounters that will help  you attract, keep and engage more customers.

Today we share #31 – #45.  (Earlier posts:  #1-#17 and #18 – #30)

But here’s a reality check folks.  A Touchpoint isn’t a Touchpoint until you do something with it. Knowing that your checkout counter is a Touchpoint is a bit of a no brainer until you begin to truly live the commitment to transform that Touchpoint into an Innovative Customer Touchpoint Experience or Unexpected Encounter. Unexpected Encounters are experiences that position your brand promise in such a way that customers know Why You?  Experiences that inspire your customers not only to do and to continue to do business with you, but to passionately promote you and your business to the members of their extensive networks as well.

If you are reading these lists only to say to yourself  ”I know my business card is a Touchpoint. Duh!”  then you are missing the boat.  These lists are Unexpected Encounters checklists.  Some are obvious.  Some are not.  So, read these posts but remember – the value is not in the list.  The value is in what you do with the list – one Strategically Innovative Touchpoint Experience at a time.

#31  Your company name (You already know that I’m a fan of 1800GotJunk? But what about a marketing and communications company called Red Envelope?  Owner Peggy Miles says Think about reaching into your mailbox and finding a red envelope mixed amongst the regular white mail. Don’t you get excited and automatically want to open the red one first? So why should I do business with Red Envelope? Because they can help me stand out from the pack.)

#32  Your Focus Groups

#33  Your Loyalty Program(s) (Don’t have one?  Could you? Don’t focus on what is.  Focus on what could be.  Don’t focus on the way things have been done by others.  Focus on the way that things could be done by you.)

#34  Your Loyalty Program card(s)

#35  Your Autoresponders (Oh please… don’t get me started on this one.  The next time you are about to create one of those incredibly boring totally predictable “out of the office” autoresponders please keep the following in mind.  1) I don’t really care that you are out of the office.  I care about getting my email answered.  2)  There is a HUGE opportunity here that almost everyone misses all the time.  Why Not! think about how you could use the autoresponder technology (because that’s what it is) to create value for your customers while managing expectations?  Why Not! create an autoresponder that is Surprising, Strategic, Seductive, Sustainable and Simple.)

#36  Your referral generation program. (Don’t have one? Hmmmmm)

#37  Your testimonial generation program. (Don’t have one? Hmmmm.  Check out http://www.testimonialdirector.com/

#38 Your Price List

#39  Your Sign in Book (Why Not! make your sign in book more like a Guest Book?  You may need to know who has left the  building and when but wouldn’t it be cool to at least remind me why I’m there in the first place when you ask me to sign in? Just thinking out loud here…)

#40  Your Guest Book (ok – that’s kind of like #39 … but it’s still another Touchpoint Opportunity!)

#41 Your Trade Show Booths, Banners etc…

#42 Your On line advertising (Google adwords, banners etc…  And by the way, if you don’t think that you advertise on line because you don’t buy online advertsing, think again.  If you have any online presence, you advertise on line.  Is each and every touchpoint that makes up your online presence doing its Unexpected Encounter duty?)

#44 Your Shopping carts (physical and online)

#45 Your Gift Certificates

More coming next week.  In the meantime, please share with us any Unexpected Encounters that you have encountered in your travels or created in your business so that we can cite them in the blog and put them in our book!

Comments? Thoughts?  Opinions to the Contrary?

Imagine the Possibilities!