How to keep your customers before someone else steals them!

How to keep your customers before someone else steals them!

By Lee Smith

I have been around in the business world for a very long time. One of my key observations in conducting business relationships is how we communicate with our customers. Keeping the lines of communication open with the customer is crucial in today’s world. The customer will always think of you first if you keep yourself in their mind.

• Call your customers on a periodic basis.
• Treat people the way you want to be treated.
• Mail your customers a card of useful information, a discount or holiday greetings.
• Send a thank you note for any business they refer or created for you.
• If your customers are having a business function or some other activity, ask how you can help and if you are invited, be sure to show up.
• If you know someone that may need their services or products, refer them.
• For those special clients or customers, take them to lunch. Treat them like part of the family.

Have you ever wondered how much it costs to find new clients? Take some time to figure out how much you spend on advertising, your time and money developing the ads, your time calling on new prospects, meeting them and presenting your products or services, weeding out none responsive prospects, the actual sale and delivery of products or services.

If you know there is going to be a problem for a client or customer like a product not being shipped, a scheduling issue, or anything that may interfere with your clients’ time or delivery, call them first! Be truthful and explain the situation and how it can be handled. Always call the customer first with the problem, before the customer finds out and calls you.

I have found that people are judged more on how they handle a problem or situation than how they handle the normal everyday business deal or sale. Always try to find that Win-Win resolution so everyone walks away with a feeling of accomplishment.

Communication is extremely important in our everyday lives. Those of us whom strive to make the effort to communicate are often rewarded.