As we head into the New Year, I know many Kitchen and Bath Dealers are working hard to put a budget together for 2023 along with a sales strategy that will support it. Maybe one thing that drew you to this blog was “Your Raving Fans Program”, followed quickly by the thought of “How can I supercharge something I don’t have, or I forgot where I put my Raving Fans Program during the heyday of the last couple of years so now might be a good time to retrieve it out of my bottom drawer, dust it off and take a looksee”

BTW, a Raving Fans Program is like a Referral Program but much more powerful! Well, if 2023’s outlook doesn’t wake you up, here are a few tidbits that pack enough smelling salts that could raise the dead!

• It looks like the Fed is still pocketing a number of interest rate hikes and will plan on using them in the 1^st Quarter of 2023.
• New single-family home starts dropped by 32% in November compared to November 2021. Apparently, Santa’s elves have gone on strike which will impact how many gingerbread homes will get built in 2023.
• Hansel & Gretel were overheard discussing the outlook for remodeling in the New Year and the conversation went a little like this (translated from old school German)
  • Hansel “I am a little concerned Gretel that we, along with our K & B Remodeling business may end up in the old witch’s cooking pot if we don’t do something soon!”
  • Gretel “Listen Hans, I told you over and over again, that we need to spend more time baking cookies for our existing and past customers so that they will sing our praises to everyone like Julie Andrews did in the Sound of Music! Now that housing prices are falling and equity is drying up, we are going to be facing a tough road back to the Shire” (Let’s chalk up the last remark to the magic mushrooms in the forest.)
  • Hansel: “Yes Gretel, you are right as always (Good for their working relationship) What do we do now?”
  • Gretel: “Well I spoke with Dorothy from Oz Consulting, and she shared some information about Raving Fans that made the hair on my feet stand up! Here are my notes from the meeting:
    • What is the difference between a Fan and a Raving Fan? A Raving Fan is like an Argentinian soccer fan and screams your accolades to the world while a regular fan may bring you up in conversation or when they are asked. Bottom line – the value of a Raving Fan to your business is like having Shrek on your side in a wrestling match. She told me to think about it this way – The Customer Acquisition cost or CAC is pretty low because the power of word-of-mouth marketing is what drove them to your castle. Dorothy also mentioned that the referrals from Raving Fans will have a higher closing ratio and will be less sensitive to pricing. That’s just another valuable bonus for wanting to create Raving Fans. Dorothy was bottled up like a potion ready to explode when she told me that most Kitchen and Bath Dealers rarely have a program and process for staying in touch with their past customers.  In fact, she got so frustrated with the lack of attention given to these golden opportunities that she clicked her ruby red slippers twice and disappeared to the Florida Keys for some R & R!

BTW, no one in the Keys found those slippers to be unusual. It’s the Keys for Heavens sake! So, Hansel and Gretel set off to not only building a program to stay in touch with past fans but to also create a bonified customer journey for new customers that was filled with amazing touchpoints that would be shared with everyone after the project was done.

Unfortunately, Hansel and Gretel got eaten by a giant Christmas Troll named Fred who also swiped their company. If you weren’t aware, Trolls are known for their incredible business aptitude.  Fred decided Hansel and Gretel were on the right path and decided to go with it! Here’s what you should do:

1. Decide what you want your Raving Fans to be telling other people about their experience.
2. Build your customer journey so it reflects what you want them to say.
3. Use warm and friendly touchpoints every chance you get. From pre-appointment packages to their name on a welcome sign, handwritten cards, packing boxes, a project survival kit, etc.

Sound expensive? Well Fred did the math and found out that spending a little more on the customer’s experience will pay dividends that no other marketing campaign could accomplish. Fred made sure that he budgeted at least 1% of his sales for his Raving Fans funds. The ROI on this is like getting a date with Cinderella…magical.

I think Merlin must have dropped something in my tea because I have been writing forever! So, let’s wrap up this longer version of “War and Peace” and put a lid on it. Part II of “Raving Fans” can capture the rest. I hope your Holidays have been filled with fun and laughter. Best wishes for 2023!

Hope to see you at the show! You can use the link below to head to our website to set up a time to visit our team of Magical Creatures, get free expo passes or just check us out. Booth N2775

As Tinker Bell says, “All it takes is faith, trust, and pixie dust” thad