NFIB

Keep Your Name in Front of Customers
10/ 21/ 2002

Too often businesses take their regular customers for granted, with the result that they may drift away over time or be stolen by companies with aggressive marketing. To combat this, it's vital to keep your name in front of key customers. In today's Workshop, Jeffrey Moses offers tips on how to accomplish this.

Offer special discounts.

At least twice a year, valued customers should be offered a discount. You could hold a private sale for your best customers, offer a limited-time discount on services or give away free products with purchases. These incentives encourage customer loyalty and keep your name at the top of their list.

Give customer appreciation gifts.

Special gifts are ideal to keep your name in front of customers. These could include sports tickets, gift certificates and subscriptions to magazines or journals of interest. It's usually best to avoid gifts that are too intimate, such as jewelry or articles of clothing. You also may want to keep a list of your customers' birthdays and send a card or balloons each year.

Socialize.

Accept invitations from valued customers to special events such as parties, weddings and bar mitzvahs. Attending such events not only increases your bond with the customer, but also provides a valuable networking opportunity. You should also invite your customers to lunch every so often.

Be considerate.

If you see magazine or newspaper articles that would be of interest to a customer, clip out the articles and send them with an attached note. If your customer has a business, drop by from time to time. Showing your customers that you care about them--and not just the money they spend--is one of the best ways of building customer loyalty.

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