Build your business in a slow economy! Part 4

This one is important whether you are in a good economy or bad, but it's vital during the bad. Guard and cater to your current customers! Everyone is looking to increase their client base for several reasons. Clients are cutting back their spending, going out of business, or they are price shopping and going with whomever will give them the best deal. Now is the time to make sure you are guarding your clients and catering to their needs!

Here are the top 5 ways to insure that you don't lose their business:

1. Find ways to constantly touch them without marketing to them. Send them a card on the holidays and their birthdays. Send them a "I've been thinking of you" e-mail, or an interesting article that relates to them or their business. Make it personal and show you truly care about them.

2. Talk to your clients. If you have a good relationship with them you will be able to ask them what you can do to help them. What you can do better and what you excel at. Then brainstorm and implement the ideas. Follow up the talk with a thank you card expressing your attitude for their honesty and openness.

3. Profit margins are going down and your clients are shopping around. What better way to entice them into spending some money.....implement a "24 hour customer appreciation" sale! Make sure the item(s) you put on sale are good quality and items that they want.

4. Always be available. If your clients normally call your office phone from 9am-5pm. Send your clients a personal note with your cell phone number and tell them that you want to be available when they need you so feel free to call at night or on the weekends. This will help build the relationship and loyalty with your clients.

5. Keep marketing to them. If you stop your marketing efforts you will be forgotten. Mix it up. An e-mail followed by a direct mail piece followed by a fax then a phone call. Keep it interesting. Do things that noone else is doing.

Keep things personal. It's your personal relationship with them that will keep them coming back to you and will prevent your competition from stealing your clients. Make your clients feel special because they are. Do things that noone else is doing. Your clients will notice and thank you for it.

If you would like help putting a promotion together to "touch" your clients contact me and I would love to help.

Promotions that get results!
Shana Anderson
Complete Workplace, Inc.
Milpitas, Ca