Greeting Card FEED

Sounds obvious, yet many companies concern themselves with new customers at the expense of current customers. 

Ever see the cable or phone company ‘special deals’ on TV?  They always end in “applicable to new customers only”.  That actually penalizes me for being a current customer. 

Loyal customers are the key to a successful business.  If you don’t believe it – neglect them.  Especially in today’s market place, such neglect or perception thereof won’t be tolerated.

So how do you get or keep loyal customers?

Start with Communication. Consistent communication is important.  Don’t confuse this with continuous sales pitches – pestering them can be as damaging as neglecting them.

• A regular (weekly, monthly, quarterly – depends on your industry) newsletter or flier (mailed or emailed) keeps your company name in the foreground of your customers’ psyche.
• A reminder card for a tune up, regular service, or suggested service shows you care.  A follow up phone call ensures your contact information continues to be accurate and again, illustrates your concern and reminds them that they matter to you and your business.
• A greeting card, whether at the holidays, a customers’ anniversary, as an appreciation for their business or birthday recognition personalizes your company to your individual customers.

Be sure you know them. Know what/how they order.  Know the frequency and what motivates their decision.  If possible, know them personally.  Don’t pry for personal information, but knowing your customers and being able to ask “how’s your son’s little league team doing” or “how was your vacation last month?” demonstrates that it isn’t just their business but the individual customer that means something to you. 

Show your appreciation.  Thank You Cards and phone calls really do make a difference.  In addition, providing customer incentives that are only available to Current (LOYAL) Customers speaks volumes. Show your customers that you notice that they’ve been loyal.  This doesn’t have to be expensive and it often looks tacky or like you might be charging too much to begin with if you just offer some token gift (wine, golf outing, etc.) Instead, offering free shipping, cleaning or a free service or product you sell encourages your customers to come back.  It GIVES them something they would normally have to pay for to receive.  Recognize they have other options and encourage in your words and actions the importance of their loyalty to your business.

Tags: holiday greeting cards, thank you cards

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010 at 12:27 pm and is filed under Marketing Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.