NFIB

Just Ask
10/ 08/ 2002

When you're selling over the Internet, it's tough to know your customer. In a physical store, you see customers come in, what items they look at, what they ignore, and have a short chat with them when they end up buying.

You can recreate that experience online, to a degree, through email. By starting a conversation with your customers, you'll improve their experience, keep them coming back and benefit your business's bottom line.

That's what Risa Meyer and Melinda Konopko attempt with Plum Party, an online party-supply store they started in 1999. Today, they have three employees and a continual uptick in sales, which they credit to getting to know their virtual customers.

"The most difficult thing for us has been figuring out who our customer is," says Meyer. "At first we thought it would be mostly women, but that's not true."

To better target who buys from them, Meyer and Konopko didn't turn to pricey focus groups or studies. Through a short email survey, they ask current customers what they like and don't like about the Plum Party Web site, at www.plumparty.com. Responses have led to the company stocking more housewarming items and categorizing items differently. It also heads off the common complaint of online buyers who feel they're dealing with a machine and not human business owners.

"We have a real high customer return rate, and that loyalty comes from the personalization," Meyer says. "I spend a lot of time answering email. We both enjoy giving gifts and having parties, so if we don't have something on our site, we'll suggest things they can get somewhere else."

To entice customer response, consider a reward. Sunny Griffin, owner of skin care seller Astara (www.astaraskincare.com ) gives away trial sizes of her creams and facial masks to customers who fill out a short survey.

Also, be sure your conversation goes beyond the sale. Plum Party has an email newsletter they send out every six weeks or so, to announce new products and remind customers of their site.

"You need to keep in touch, but not be annoying," Meyer says.

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This article originally appeared in the October/November 2002 issue of MyBusiness magazine.

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