I had a catch up with a Watertight Workgroup client, Redspot Self Storage, last week to see what impact the programme has made on the business so far. This business provides an easy self-storage solution for consumer and business customers. It’s a highly competitive market, and cost comparisons are high on the list when people are choosing between providers.
In a project led by Certified Practitioner, Cheryl Crichton, the main focus of efforts to date has been in a complete refresh of the website. The aim with this has been to work on a few key areas from the Thirteen Touchpoint Leaks. Firstly, Leak #3 – No Emotional Connection. So, the site has worked particularly on providing real human examples of people who use the storage and the difference it’s made to their life.
Equally important on the areas identified for focus were, Leak #4 No Gateway, and #6 – No Proof. To address these, the site now provides lots of helpful information to give people what they need to make a decision, and dovetails into a more automated follow-up process. And, this is where things get really interesting!
Asking the right questions
George Spence, MD, Redspot Self Storage
Sitting down with MD George Spence, I asked what I always ask clients in a catch up… what results they are seeing? His answer made my stomach churn. And, not in a good way! He said that he was getting 20 fewer inbound enquiries per week. Surely, this is all wrong. You work hard on your marketing… your results should go up?!
So, I asked my follow-up question… and, how are sales? He said: “Oh, the same as they ever were.”
My stomach leapt again. With relief. Because, a single marketing metric (like inbound leads) without linkage to sales results results so often gives a distorted view. Put them together and you can really see what’s happening.
They’ve not yet turned any new taps on, so website traffic is the same as it ever was. And, sales are the same as they ever were. The difference here… the MD is dealing with 20 fewer enquiries per week on average, whilst making the same amount of money. Woohoo! That’s a massive win. Let’s do the maths… each enquiry was taking about 10 minutes, that’s upwards of three hours per week. The website is now handling, and converting, them with equal success.
An effective website is a member of your sales team
This is exactly what a good website should do. It welcomes, guides and helps a prospective customer as they make their purchase decision. With careful thought on tone, content and the steps in the journey a good website can act like a powerful member of your sales team. But, one who will happily work 24/7 and can (with a little TLC) handle an ever-increasing workload.
It also proves that this business has been 100% justified in starting at the bottom and working up. He’s now in great shape to turn those marketing Taps on, safe in the knowledge that he won’t be deluged with the increased demands on his time. If he’d taken the more obvious route of simply working on techniques to fill the top of the sales funnel, his time would quickly have been eaten up – leaving no room to work strategically on his business.
It’s been a real team effort, and there’s more to do to get all those Leaks flashing Green, but it is fantastic to see how the efforts in putting robust foundations in place puts this business in the right place to step things up in a controlled and structured way. And, I can’t wait to update you on what happens when we switch the Taps on!
© Bryony Thomas – The Watertight Marketer
Bryony Thomas
Author & Founder, Watertight Marketing
Bryony Thomas is the creator of the multi-award winning Watertight Marketing methodology, captured in her best-selling book of the same name. She is one of the UK's foremost marketing thinkers, featured by the likes of Forbes, The Guardian, Business Insider and many more, and in-demand speaker for business conferences, in-house sales days and high-level Board strategy days.
