A profitable business starts and ends with the customer.
By placing the customer at the center of all your thinking
you create an environment which fosters long term success.
A key component of success lies in your ability to generate
repeat and referral business, and a sure way to do this is
by forming lasting relationships with your customers.
Here are 10 things you can do:
1. Set yourself apart from the competition. Give your
customers something they can't get elsewhere. This
is your niche on the Web. Make your niche something
of real value over time and people will come back again
and again.
2. Don't waste time on activities that can be automated.
For instance, let your email program filter and route your
incoming messages automatically, use a template to
build new pages for your site, etc. Automation frees up
your time so you can concentrate on the important stuff -
your customer.
3. Eliminate the time you spend you on non-productive
tasks. For instance, unsubscribe to newsletters your
never read instead of deleting them each time. Handle
paperwork one time and then file it instead of stacking
it in a pile. All these little things add up to lots of wasted
time that could be spent on your customer.
4. Concentrate your efforts on marketing to the people
that need your service. Start by auditing your marketing
and sales data to find out how and why a sale is made.
Eliminate or change marketing strategies and services
that don't serve the needs of your customers.
5. Respond to email quickly. Response time should be
under 24 hours. By responding quickly you send the
message that your customers are important and you are
genuinely interested in meeting their needs.
6. Follow up on sales orders. Make sure your customer
is thoroughly satisfied with their purchase and offer
additional services related to their purchase.
7. Give refunds promptly and unconditionally.
8. Ask your customers to fill out a survey so you can
better understand their needs. Offer a valuable freebie
or a discounted service for participating. This strategy
establishes a dialogue between you and the customer
and helps determine the direction of your business.
9. Publish a newsletter. Give your subscribers valuable
tips and information they can't get anywhere else. Offer
subscriber-only discounts and freebies.
10. Make your site easy to navigate. Customers value
their time and appreciate finding what they want quickly
and effortlessly.
Imagine every customer as a real person standing in
front of you. What are his needs and how well are you
addressing these needs? Let this image guide you in
all aspects of your business and you'll discover hundreds
of ways to form lasting customer relationships.
