Want to know the three secrets to growing your business?Get More Customers.
Get Your Customers to Buy More.
Get Your Customers to Buy More Often.
Three basic principles. Simple statements that sound easy to accomplish. I can hear you saying, "These are secrets? Doesn't everyone know that???" The truth is most people, when they hear this, recognize these statements as a set of simple truths. But setting them as goals and then achieving them is far from simple.
If your customers already trust you and buy consistently from you then you are on your way. Keep in mind the person most likely to buy from you is the one who just purchased from you. (Providing their experience was a good one.)
Most businesses focus on bringing in new customers. This is important, but if you entire marketing budget is aimed at bringing a new customer through your door (either literally or figuratively) then you are missing the absolute gold mine right at your fingertips. Your existing customers.
Let me ask this. Are you collecting your customer's contact information? If not shame on you start today. Get at least their Name and Email address. If you can capture their entire contact information you are much better off. But with at least the name and email you can contact them and begin to offer special incentives to come back in. If you own a restaurant, you should begin a birthday club, you can go so far as creating a membership club that gets your customers preferred seating, free appetizers, or drinks when they come in. Charge for it. People will pay to belong to something.
Do you have a newsletter either physical or an email version. These are critical to keeping you "TOM" Top of Mind with your existing customers and prospects. It doesn't matter what your business is, you can bring value to your prospects and customers by simply giving them information.
Referral rewards - Are you asking for referrals? When you ask, do you make the classic mistake of asking customers to give you 5 names. Instead try asking for 1. Simply say "by the way do you know one person who could benefit from the experience you just had?" That simple question could net you three new contact names, whereas when you ask for 3 or 5 you'll tend to get the "let me think about it" answer.
Are you in a competitive market? How would you like to make your competition irrelevant? It can be done. To find out how sign up for my e-zine.