Do You Go the Extra Mile for Your Customers?

Then why do you need new ones?

Or...do you bang your head against the wall trying to get new customers?

The best marketing technique in the world is (drumroll please?)...

Marketing to the customers you already have!

Here are a few questions to ask your business and tips to make it better:

1) How many times do your customers do business with you in a week/month/year?

Customer frequency is even more important than getting new customers! That's right. I said it...the very thing you may be focused on should not be your primary focus. Calm down...I didn't say remove your focus.

Take an auto shop for instance...most shop owners who I have spoken with over the years are always asking me "Joe, how do I increase customer/car count?" when the better question is "Joe, how do I make each of my customers/cars count?"

My answer to that, and this applies to any business, is to put in place a program or series of programs with focus on retaining customers, or welcoming back old ones. For example, you may implement a type of VIP Membership program for customers who have done regular business with you. To gain membership, a customer could meet criteria that you have set (i.e. sales dollars, number of months a regular customer, etc...). In some businesses and markets, customers would be willing to pay for such a membership.

Make sure your program includes an element to give the customer something as a member of your VIP program. As humans, status means a lot. Having a frameable certificate or a membership card is important to the success of this program. Also, be sure to include benefits that "ordinary customers" do not get. Discounts, access to professionals in your company, a free newsletter, and other items to make membership a percieved value to your customer.

2) Do you have more to offer each customer?