Customers - Hold Onto the Ones You've Got

You probably spend a great deal of your time looking for newcustomers or clients. However, are you sure your doingenough to hold onto the ones you've got.

One of the least costly ways to grow your business is to getcustomers to come back and buy more of your product orservice. How many customers have you lost this month? I'msure it's not something you want to think about too much,however it's inevitable that you'll lose customers andclients for a whole range of reasons many of which are outwith your control.

A survey I read some years ago suggested that customersleave a business for four basic reasons: 14% leave becausethey're dissatisfied with the quality of the product orservice, 9% leave because of price, 5% leave for otherreasons and a whacking great 72% leave because of "supplierindifference".

Too many suppliers give customers the impression that theydon't care about repeat business. I've stayed in hotels,dealt with banks and building societies and dealt withsuppliers who didn't seem to care whether I came back ornot.

We need to continually let our customers know that we careabout them. We need to keep in touch, write to them, sendthem information and occasionally 'phone them.When they contact us we need to make sure we sound warm andfriendly, pleased to hear from them, efficient and maybeeven look and sound like we're fun to do business with.

It's not a lot different from our personal relationships. Ifwe don't keep telling the people close to us how much wecare and keep writing and 'phoning, then we shouldn't be toosurprised if they leave us one day.

Use logic and emotion to keep your customers. Give them thebest products and service and give great value for money.However, always remember, your competitors will be doingmuch the same thing. The difference will be determined byhow you communicate with your customers on an emotionallevel, either face to face, on the 'phone, by letter oremail.

I bought a new car from a local dealer a few years ago. I'venever heard from them since. A dealer for the same brand ofcar fifty miles away writes regularly with details ofspecial offers. They send a regular news letter and theoccasional very courteous 'phone call. I'm going to changemy car soon, guess who'll be getting the sale?

Business is like a car - it won't run by itself except downhill.

Discover how you can generate more business without havingto cold call!Alan Fairweather is the author of "How to get More Saleswithout Selling" This book is packed with practical thingsthat you can do to - get customers to come to you. Click here nowhttp://www.howtogetmoresales.com and http://www.alanfairweather.com

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