Question 1

List all the different stakeholders, at your future customers that you will need to engage, using your multi-channel communication strategy, below:

Think deeply about everyone, who is involved in making a buying decision at your future customers:

List all theses stakeholders below:

Example:

• Decision makers – these are the people, who hold the cheque book and make the final decision
• Influencers – Decisions are seldom made by only one person at an organisation. There are always, a number of people involved in supporting the decision maker to choose you as a supply partner.
• Gatekeepers – These are those well trained individuals, whose job it is to protect the decision maker from, unnecessary interruptions, from unsolicited sales interruptions.
• Technical people – if you sell a complicated product or service, there may be technical people, who need to get involved too.
• Other stakeholders – depending on your industry and the markets you serve, there may be other stakeholders, who would get involved.

Using the above example, as a starting point, please describe all the stakeholders and their roles at your MAGNIFICENT 50 future customers below:

Question 2

Explore your existing customers and list all the stakeholders at each of them below:

Example:

• Decision makers – these are the people, who hold the cheque book and make the final decision
• Influencers – Decisions are seldom made by only one person at an organisation. There are always, a number of people involved in supporting the decision maker to choose you as a supply partner.
• Gatekeepers – These are those well trained individuals, whose job it is to protect the decision maker from, unnecessary interruptions, from unsolicited sales interruptions.
• Technical people – if you sell a complicated product or service, there may be technical people, who need to get involved too.
• Other stakeholders – depending on your industry and the markets you serve, there may be other stakeholders, who would get involved.

When you conduct this exercise, explore all your existing customers, so that you can uncover all the people you need to connect with.

Practical example in my business:

• Decision makers – these are managing directors, marketing, sales directors or sales managers
• Influencers – Sales people, sales managers, human resources managers and financial directors
• Gatekeepers – Receptionists, secretaries or personal assistants
• Other stakeholders – finance department, marketing department and if they have one their events department.

The first step, required when creating a multi-channel communication strategy for your existing customers, is to list all the different types of stakeholders you will communicate with.

Remember that the secret to make this multichannel communication strategy work, is to tailor and personalise, each one, so that it speaks to each individuals unique challenges.

Explore your existing customers and list all the stakeholders at each of them below:

Question 3

List the most appropriate form of communication, that you plan to use to engage your future customers, below: 

Existing customers:

Explore all the stakeholders that you have identified, at you existing customers and then describe the most appropriate method of communicating with them.

Example:

• Decision makers – these are managing directors, marketing, sales directors or sales managers
  • Face-to-face meetings
  • Telephone
  • Targeted, tailored and personalised email campaigns
  • We use WhatsApp personal and groups
  • White papers, to showcase expertise
  • Social media post articles on personal feeds, post articles to carefully selected groups, comment on customers blogsBest way to communicate with them
  • eZines, to showcase our expertise in a specific area
  • e-Books – To showcase our expertise in a whole area of sales
  • Automated email campaigns, to keep customers aware of special offers etc.
  • Traditional media and advertising campaigns, to spray a message into our markets, so that people become aware of, who we are
  • Social media advertising, to create awareness and target specific leaders

I am sure that you get the idea here:

New customers:

Think your markets, industry and your MAGNIFICENT 50 future customers.

What is the most appropriate forms of communication, to use with each of your carefully selected magnificent 20, 30, 40 or 50 future customers.

The process is exactly the same, for new customers, as it is for existing customers, so please use the same example, for guidance.