Copyright 2004 Bob Leduc
http://BobLeduc.com
Regardless of what business you are in - you are
really in the business of satisfying customers. The degree of customer
satisfaction you deliver determines the level of long-term success
you will achieve in business.
Make Customer Satisfaction Your Top Priority
Don't just make sales. Create customers - satisfied
customers. In addition to the immediate profit they provide on the
first sale, satisfied customers help you build your business in
2 other important ways:
- They become a reservoir of repeat buyers. For some businesses
that means repeat buyers for more of the same product or service.
For every business, it means buyers for additional products and
services.
- They automatically refer more business to you from their friends
and business contacts. This is highly profitable business for
you because it doesn't cost you any time or money to get it.
Never Promise More Than You Deliver
Never make any promises you can't (or won't) keep.
Nothing alienates customers faster than getting something less than
they expect from a business transaction. They won't do business
with you again. And they will tell everybody they know about their
unhappy experience - causing you to lose future customers.
Tip: Handle customer complaints quickly and with
a positive attitude. Strive to preserve your relationship with
the complaining customer instead of your immediate profit from
them. They will reward you later with more sales and referrals.
Always Give Customers More Than They Expect
"Over deliver" on quality and service.
Always exceed your customers' expectations. You will win their long
term loyalty. It also makes it difficult for competitors to steal
customers from you - even if they have lower prices. Customers will
not risk an uncertain experience with a competitor when they know
they will get more than they expect from you.
Tip: Surprise your customers with unexpected
value. If you sell products, include an "unadvertised bonus"
with every order. If you sell services, get into the habit of
doing something extra for every customer or client without charging
for it.
Let Customers Know How Much You Value Them
Let your customers know you are always thinking
about them. Communicate with them regularly. For example, create
some special deals just for your existing customers. And announce
new products or services to them before you announce them to the
general market.
Tip: Convert your customers into publicity agents.
Develop an incentive for them to tell associates and friends about
the value of your products or services. An endorsement from them
is more effective than any amount of advertising - and it is much
cheaper.
For example, reward them each time they refer someone
who becomes a customer. Your reward can be as simple as a credit
toward their next order from you.
You are in the business of satisfying customers
regardless of what products or services you provide. The satisfied
customers you create will help you build your business by becoming
repeat buyers and by referring new business to you from their friends
and associates.
Credit:
Bob Leduc spent 20 years helping businesses like yours find new
customers and increase sales. He just released a New Edition of
his manual, How To Build Your Small Business Fast With Simple Postcards
...and launched *BizTips from Bob*, a newsletter to help small businesses
grow and prosper. You'll find his low-cost marketing methods at:
http://BobLeduc.com
or call: 702-658-1707 After 10 AM Pacific Time/Las Vegas, NV
Related
Information:
NBA
Benefit Provider - FastCollect
NBA
Resource Article - Increase
Your Sales With Personalized Messages
NBA
Resource Article - How
Much Business Are You Getting From 'Your Natural Market'?
Reprint of this article does not constitute an
endorsement by the National Business Association; the article is
for informational purposes for our members and viewers of our Web
site.
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