Hit CBS Show
I am a really big fan of the TV show, Criminal Minds.
If you have not seen the show, each week the cast of FBI profilers use their skills to identify and catch a different serial killer. They solve cases by looking at the evidence from the crime scenes. They combine this evidence with known patterns of other serial killers, including psychological profiles.
Three quarters the way through each show, they have a briefing with the local law enforcement people to describe identify of the potential serial killer, what police should look for and where they can anticipate the next crime.
With profile in hand, they are able to anticipate the killer’s next moves and capture them.
Customer Profiles and Small Business Marketing
Customer profiles have been used for years in small business marketing. Create a detailed description of your ideal customer, give them a name, an avatar and address that person in all of your marketing efforts. These forms of customer profiles have produced many sales for small business marketing.
Some now suggest with local search marketing that customer profiling is not necessary. The customer uses an internet search term looking for a local business. Search engines scan local search directory sites looking for a local business to match the search term. When they find the match, they put the appropriate businesses on the local Map for the customer to see.
A match is a match. How would information from a customer profile add to this process?
Customer Matches Can Improve Your Local Search Marketing
Beyond the keyword match that already implies a good working knowledge of your 
customers, let me suggest there are two additional ways a marketing customer profile can improve your local search marketing.
Business Descriptions on Local Search Directories
The first place is the business description on your local search directory sites. Local directory sites allow you anywhere from 160-200 characters to describe your business. This snippet will be the first point of contact that potential customers have with your business on the local map. In a previous post I provided guidelines for creating an effective local business description.
What do you think will be more effective at getting the customer to click on your pin? A generalized description that could fit any customer? Or a description based on a detailed profile you have created about your potential client.
I know that I would rather do business with someone who seems to understand me rather than someone talking at me as if I were one of masses.
Your Local Search Landing Page
The second place where your customer profile becomes effective is your landing page. Your description on local search directories gets the potential customer to click on your website listed on your directory site. The customer likes the feel of your business description on the local search directory snippet. Now they want to see more.
We have already talked about the importance of taking the potential customer from your local search directory to a specific landing page rather than your generic home page. Once you get them to the specific landing page, now you can use the full power of your customer profile to get them to call your business. Use the landing page space, images and text to speak directly to potential customers based on your detailed client profile.
Conclusion to Profiling and Local Search Directories
If you add your profiles to these two areas, you will have shown the potential customer that you understand them and their buying process. This will clearly give you an edge over other local competitors whose generic descriptions “scream at the masses”. Potential customers will feel right in clicking on your site and making the call to your business.
In the next post, I will show you some of the ingredients you want to include in your client profile. You can then use these items to rewrite your local business description and to redo your website landing page to show potential customers that you understand them and their buying process.
In the mean time, check out Criminal Minds, Wednesdays 8:00-9:00 CST CBS. Enjoy.
