Knowing how to get the word out about what you do isn’t an easy task. Each industry has specific elements you should highlight. A telecommunications company serves a very special purpose for its customers. You must understand what your clients want so you know how to market to them.
Telecommunications includes businesses that drive communication, such as internet providers, radio stations, and telephone companies. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the industry employs 754,940 people in the United States. Some of the big players include AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile.
Competition is limited in many areas. Not just anyone can start a telecommunications business due to the massive costs of running cables and upkeep of the system. However, your target audience does have other options apart from “standard” phone or internet service, such as using satellite, investing in a mobile hotspot, or going with another brand entirely.
If you want to reach your target audience and drive growth, you must learn how to effectively market your brand. Here’s how.
1. Know Your Customer
Marketing for any industry should start with getting to know who your customer is and what they need. Look at analytics on past customer behaviors. However, you should also map out your service area and dig into any demographic records for the location.
Create a user persona to represent your typical customer. You should then use the persona when creating marketing campaigns. Look at your website through the lens of your persona and make any changes to improve their experience.
2. Invest in 5G Capability
People are starting to realize the convenience of 5G, although the technology still has a lot of room for growth. Over a billion users will have at least one 5G device by 2023. The more people who use the wireless technology, the more similar devices they’ll purchase.
The demand for 5G will rise in the near future, so be sure you’re ready for consumer interest. The more 5G devices there are, the more people will want additional ones. It’s a phenomenon that occurs with the internet of things (IoT). The more things one has that connect to the IoT, the more things they want. Use your 5G capabilities as a selling point for your service.
3. Enhance the Customer Experience
A majority of people in the world own smartphones or connect to the internet. Your customer base is as broad as your coverage area.
What can you do to reduce aggravation? For example, anticipate issues such as power outages and have a plan in place to handle the problem. Find ways to notify your customers of any issues and let them know you’re working to restore service.
Put yourself in the customer’s shoes. What would you want to know? How could a difficult situation, such as interruption of service, be better?
4. Help the Community
The world experienced one of the toughest years in history with the global pandemic. More people tapped into telecommunications for work and socialization than ever before. People pay attention to which companies care about their struggles during hard times.
One study shows 56% of customers appreciate companies that stepped up to help during the COVID-19 crisis. Look for ways to help people in your area. While you should never embrace a cause for the purpose of marketing, you will naturally get positive attention when you do.
Make sure whatever you tap into is something you care about. If your cause also ties to your industry in some way, that’s even better. For example, a local plumber starts a project to clean up local streams and thus water supplies.
5. Find Your Story
What is your brand’s narrative? If you want to stand out from the competition, you need a strong background story. Know what you stand for, why you started your company, and how you’ll present that information to current and potential customers.
Storytelling is something people have turned to since the first caveman built the first fire and his family and friends gathered around. One of the most powerful marketing tools in your arsenal is your About Page information.
6. Engage Customers on Social Media
There are 4.5 billion people on the internet. Around 3.8 billion use social media, or over half the global population. People often turn to social media to express their discontent with a telecommunications company. Be ready with quick customer service and responses that turn a negative review into a positive one.
Look for ways to get your customers involved in your branding. Host a contest where they snap a photo of something unique in their town and add a hashtag. Share your clients’ stories with profiles and snapshots. Look for ways to get people involved.
7. Reach Out to Businesses
Consumers may be the backbone of your business, but you can secure larger contracts and higher pay by specializing in business services. Think about what you bring to the table for entrepreneurs. How can you enhance their business? Can you save them money, aggravation, or time?
If you serve both B2C (business to community) and B2B (business to business), set up two separate marketing campaigns to reach both sectors, but keep things personalized to each group.
8. Invest in Video Promotions
Videos are a powerful and lasting way of reaching your target audience. People retain around 95% of a message viewed via video versus text alone. The key is figuring out what information people want most.
Start with the pain points of your average customer. Perhaps you find a segment of your audience is worried about staying in touch with family in another country with rising long-distance costs. How can you address that pain point and let them know your company is there for them?
Create video series to help people get the most out of their equipment or service, or answer common questions they call your customer service line to ask.
Grow Your Telecommunications Business
If you want to grow your telecommunications business, a strong marketing plan is vital. Look at what you’re doing now that’s successful. Keep the things that work and replace anything falling flat. With a little creativity and attention to your promotional schedule, your company will become one of the top names in your sector.
About the author
Eleanor Hecks is editor-in-chief at Designerly Magazine. She was the creative director at a digital marketing agency before becoming a full-time freelance designer. Eleanor lives in Philly with her husband and pup, Bear.
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