|PIC1|M V Tronson recognises these occasions are invaluable for networking purposes, and he was particularly interested in the subject tackled by Louise Kelly, whose talk was entitled 'Customer Retention'. The other two speakers were Craig James ('Economic Outlook') and Matthew Nolan ('Cash Flow Strategies').
"My particular interest in Louise Kelly's presentation was to help me evaluate our own Mission's performance in marketing itself if applicable," M V Tronson explained.
"The first two points illustrate where many modern churches present themselves. They were:
- Faces of attraction, and
- Emphasising intangible needs."
The other 'customer retention' points from Louise Kelly's presentation applied, in Mark Tronson's view, to how Churches and Missions were performing with respect to their supporter base, particularly in the light of the current issues being raised by the Australian Charitable Sector's retention of public support.
Ms Kelly suggested that businesses should:
- understand client's emotions;
- remember that the least confusing marketing wins the sales;
- make it so that people want to talk about the product;
- offer certainty
- organise segmentation - don't lump everything together
- give 'extra value' that comes through telling a story
- be different and relevant
- realise it is better to market 'home made jam' than 'a three course meal' (too many options)
- be yourself, the humility proposition is very important
- appeal to the simple village life, not the mega city complexity pitch
- consider the reality of 'On-line knowledge' - (people reading up on medicines and discussing this with their doctor and/or pharmacist).
"Louise Kelley commented on the powerful consumerism of the under 35 age-group.
"To carry this audience a business should come across as knowing as much as they do about electronic gadgets, being irresistible (creating an emotional response), being remarkable (talking about your product), being contagious (word of mouth) and establishing itself as article of trust," M V Tronson noted.
Another interesting feature of Ms Kelly's presentation which affects churches and missions, is that the web-site has lost it's power. Youth today communicate through social networks, such as instant text messages, Face book, My Space, U-Tube and the like. Ms Kelly called this 'wild-fire communication'.
Social networks, the short video and video newsletters are all compelling viewing and aimed at the grass roots level for the younger demographic. These have become today's medium, Ms Kelly explained. Most business people have perceptions that are six years out of date, and they have not caught up with the new realities.
"Australian church and mission leaders should take note of what they see as reliably applicable from marketing strategies," M V Tronson contended. "It is important that they evaluate how they might equate these tips to their core issues such as prayer and the Holy Spirit's leading in church and mission life."