Every business needs to be acutely aware of “the where” of every element of their unique world. “The where” of these elements can provide strategies to grow your business.
If you find yourself suffering from Locational Cloudiness, here are 5 Ways The Right Map Can Cure it.
#1 Show Authority
Like a trophy room, your conference room or office should show that you are the master of your world. For most maps, your primary location is the center of the world so it should be the center of the map.
Let your customers know you are part of a larger organization. A map showing your affiliates can impress and instill trust. It gives your potential customers the peace of mind to know there is a bigger organization that stands behind you for their convenience and security.
#2 Help Your Customers Find You
Help your customers find your location. This may sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how many locator maps are incorrect and do not focus on your business.
You know those flyers you get in the mail for a dentist or new restaurant that you throw away? Since I’m a map geek, I always look at locator maps. I see many with the location on the wrong side of the road or not enough road names to know where the place is. And the text that is too small to read, since it was reduced from a screen capture of a Google map—drives me crazy!
#3 Better Service Your Customers
Plan out your service calls for better efficiency. Most businesses do not insist that each employee evidence that time is money with each of their decisions. This is one of the easiest tools to implement and the financial rewards are immediate.
It can be a difficult task to schedule your visits unless you can visualize them on a wall map. You might be sending employees across town for the next appointment when they could have gone to the next stop while they were in the vicinity.
Sitting down with a new employee and a map of their new world is both critical and kind. Especially for someone who is struggling with their new job, let alone trying to learn the area.
#4 Advertise the Benefits of a Location
Allow the geographic location to sell. An amenity map of the convenient shopping, dining, entertainment and services is a great way to inform potential clients of the benefits of your location. Sometimes what is around you is more important than where you are.
This can also help you attract employees.
#5 Increase Sales with a Territory Map
Clearly seeing where your current customers are (and where they are not) will help you better target your efforts. People learn best with visual aids, and maps help capture spatial relationships. This is a great tool for managing a salesforce efficiently. Clearly showing territory boundaries helps to avoid territory conflict.