Blogging for Profits: Issue No. 10 How Brinks Could Benefit From A Blog

Recently I had a door including the frame replaced at my home. When a frame is replaced, it is common for the wiring and connectors for the security system to be compromised. One call to Brinks and the appointment for the repair was set. Their call center was very helpful.

The Brinks representative who came to my home arrived at the front end of the appointment window. Normally with other services I find I am usually the last call for some reason. He was professional and friendly. The work was completed quickly, he checked my entire system while he was there and the service was completed in less than an hour. I rate this experience very high on the customer satisfaction scale. However, to date they have not asked my opinion.

With a friendly service professional, there is an opportunity to learn more about their business. I asked " how is your business?" I learned Brinks recently subscribed their 1 millionth customer. Seems to me a perfect opportunity to issue a press release, reward the household that was number 1 million and use that promotion in a publicity campaign. Have a featured section on their website, and more.

The security business is stronger when the economy weakens. The thinking is people are more concerned about thefts during more challenging economic times. I imagine demographics are in their favor with a continual rise in people living alone and households were the children have grown and are now on their own.

I also learned Brinks offers a service where business owners and parents can be paged when security systems are turned off or on. For example, a working parent can be alerted that a child is home on schedule or a business owner can be alerted the store, restaurant or other business facility has been opened or closed on schedule (or not). I think this a great "extension of the brand". I did not see this service promoted on their web site.

As a business consultant, I found all of this information very interesting. As a long time Brinks customer I was wondering why I didn't know of these services and benefits. Following the completion of the service I visited www.brinks.com  and found two paths. The first is information on Brinks armored car service and the second is for residential and business security services.

Brinks has a huge opportunity to educate homeowners and business owners on the benefits of their services. Their web site appears to be a presentation of the basic security services and there is information on becoming a dealer. Now I begin to understand why it has taken them more than 20 years to subscribe 1 million customers in a country where the population is approaching 300 million.

Here is a short list of how Blogging for Profits could benefit Brinks:

The first step is for Brinks to offer several free reports. They would obtain basic contact information and begin to build an email database. The free reports offer should be mailed to all existing customers and that could be done with an insert to the monthly bill. I am not aware of ever being asked for my email address. They need to build their data base of email addresses for current customers and prospective customers. Email is a great way of reminding customers and prospects of services and information that will benefit them.

How could Brinks use a blog? Brinks can benefit from a blog and RSS technology by having important information that educates visitors on the full scope of security issues and solutions. Blogs are a faster way of generating a buzz in the Internet when there is important information. The Alexa ranking of Brink's website is not that low (low is better) and so Brinks should benefit in the search engines with an active blog linked to their website. With all the negative news people are exposed to each day, there is a high level of interest on products and services that offer security. There is no shortage of content on the topic of security . Brinks could start with the free reports can be used developed for their website mentioned earlier. They should use every opportunity to capture contact information of visitors to their site.

Using the Blogging for Profits method for presenting information that current and prospective customers will find valuable in a user friendly format, will absolutely help Brinks grow revenue and profits. Google the keyword security. You will see Brinks has a PPC campaign active. Their largest competitor is out bidding them. However the key point is why spend money on PPC if your site is not optimized and you are not taking advantage of well established technology like a blog. Start with that then, move to testing podcasts and video.

I would advise testing an affiliate program and direct sales of related products like cameras and pagers. If they didn't want to be in the retailing of products business, they could test a joint venture with someone who is.

Brinks is not a client, I don't own any of their stock, I don't have relatives that work their, I am not aware of being connected to them in any way other than being a residential customer. They are used as an example of how business revenue and profits can be improved using a blog linked to an optimized website with both incorporating direct response marketing features. They are also an example of when you start thinking of your blog and apply direct response marketing principles how you will come up with ideas that are at a minimum worth testing.

Use this example to evaluate your own business and how you can use the lessons in Blogging for Profits to help grow your revenue and profits. Be sure to read all prior Issues of Blogging for Profits. Issues 1-3 are posted in their entirety at www.stevereports.com  Subsequent issues are available to subscribers to Blogging for Profits. Subscription is FREE at www.stevereports.com 

Wishing You Extraordinary Profits

Steve Pohlit, Business Consultant
www.stevepohlit.com

P.S. You are invited to post your success stories and tips at www.successtips.us