Business Network International
Business Networking-Utilizing Your Existing Customers
Every business owner will tell you how important and special a loyal customer is, and what an asset they are to any business. When you get a new customer, you have a much better chance of making a profit from that customer in the future, as they are likely to return to your business many times, especially if you treat them well. By obtaining pertinent customer information, you can send them advertisements on special deals and new products and services that you may be offering, luring them back to make another purchase from you. These customers can also be an integral part of bringing new customers to your business as well, as word of mouth really goes far, and they will tell their friends and family about your business, whether they are satisfied with it or not. An unsatisfied customer is capable of spreading that dissatisfaction to everyone they meet, which means that too many of these could potentially ruin your business. That is another reason that it is so important to make your customers happy and keep them that way.
Whether you have a brick and mortar business, or an Internet business, it is important that you network with your customers; it actually can make or break your business. You don’t have to spend hours or a bunch of money on catalogs or brochures; you can simply send a postcard letting your customers know that you have new specials or new products. The online businesses have the upper hand when it comes to networking with their customers, as they simply just compose an email and send it to their mailing list, at no additional cost, whereas brick and mortar business owners have to pay postage, if not a printer as well. Let your customers know that you value their opinion, and would like to know if there was any part of their transaction with you they were dissatisfied with, and that you would welcome any suggestions they might have. Thank them for doing business with you, and let them know that you will be happy to serve them in future dealings as needed. Customers love to feel as if you genuinely want their thoughts and ideas, and it really does create a more professional image for your business.
If you have customers that routinely spend obscene amounts of money at your business, then you should think of something special to do for them, to show them how much you appreciate the business that they so frequently send your way. You definitely don’t want to lose a loyal customer, but especially not one that spends a lot of money at your business. If your customer is someone who lives in the area, offer to take them out to lunch or dinner at a nice local restaurant, or pick them out some kind of special thank you gift and have it delivered to them, with a nice card of course. By thanking these high- dollar customers, they are more likely to continue doing business with you, and maybe even send other potential customers to you as well. You can’t afford to do this for every customer, and you shouldn’t even attempt it, but If you have someone who spends more than $1000 per month at your business, then you should do something nice for them occasionally, which also helps remind them that you are there to meet their needs, and are more than happy to do so.
If you have a business that is operated via the Internet, there are still ways that you can network with your customers and show them that you appreciate their business. You can have a link on your website that customers can use to receive information about your services and products, newsletters that they may be able to use for their own businesses and money-saving coupons that might lure them back to your site for an additional purchase. The goal is to keep the customer returning to your site to make a purchase, and the more customers you can get to do that, the more profitable your online business will be.
If you neglect your customers, then chances are, you aren’t going to be a very successful business owner, at least not for very long. People want to spend money with businesses that appreciate them, and are willing to go the extra mile to see that they get what they need and are happy with it, and if you can’t provide that kind of service, then you can expect your customers to go somewhere else.
