How To Hold On To Your Customers Like Hell And Make Them Pay You Again And Again!
With the years competition online, has become fierce. Studiesshows already that there are more web pages in cyberspace todaythan there are humans on the face of the earth. All thesejostling for the same customers. And if you remember that theprimary purpose of every business is to acquire customers, thenyou will understand how serious this is.
If you're an internet home-based business entrepreneur, thiscalls for great concern. But the solution is not to *fight* yourcompetition. The better way is to be creative in your marketingstrategy. Competing against the vast array of possibilitieswill only frustrate and ultimately fag you out. I sincerelybelieve the competition should help you to be more creative.Also remember that your potential and existing customers havetheir individual choices. Therefore they should be your realtarget.
A vast number of online marketers today resort to various tricksand unwholesome tactics to market their products. Usinghard-sell copywriting tricks they aim to producing a six-figureincome in six months. They call this working smarter and notharder. Unfortunately many unsuspecting newbie internetmarketers fall for this ploy.
As Percy Whiting rightly said, "Selling, to be a greatart, must involve a genuine interest in the other person'sneeds. Otherwise it is only a subtle, civilized way of pointinga gum and forcing one into a temporary surrender".
You must understand that marketing is a process and not a onetime task. You must also know that it cost about ten times lessto sell to an existing customer than a new one. So instead ofusing tricks and hard sell strategies, put in place time-testedand proven methods that will keep your customers committed to youand your business. And ultimately sky rocket your earnings.The following tips and suggestions will help you to reduce yourmarketing cost, increase your earnings and keep your customersreturning again and again for more.
1. Earn Your Clients' Respect And Trust: Put yourself in apotential customer's position. Who would you continue to dobusiness with? An entrepreneur who after selling you a productruns off, with every communication door closed? Or one who isalways at hand to answer your questions and listen to yourcomplaints? I'm sure your guess is mine.
If your desire is to keep your customers and profit with themover time then ensure you earn their trust and respect. This iseasily done through consistent follow-up.
Build a separate list for your customers. When someone becomesyour customer, follow-up some days or weeks later with athank-you email. Thank him for becoming a valued customer. Inthis thank-you email you could include a mystery bonus gift.From this point onward, ensure you're occasionally in contactwith him. This may be to alert him to other special offers thatwill benefit him as an existing customer.
2. Sell Information And Not Products: People are online formainly one purpose, to gather information. And as the sayinggoes, information sells. Instead of marketing your products,market information. Offer your existing and potential customersvaluable information. Present your products and services asvaluable information to your customers. Instead of dwelling onhow beautiful and wonderful your product is, show your customershow it will solve their pains. When done well, potentialcustomers will become existing customers and those already onyour list will be glad to remain there.
Be on the alert and keep an eye on the media. Using yourfollow-up system, send your customers a message, short report ornews, whenever you find information that could benefit them. Besure that this is relevant to their relationship with you. Yourcustomers will appreciate your interest.
3. Position Yourself: Many of the marketing tricks andstrategies being bandied online are nothing but archaic andunpopular 'prospecting for customers' tactics. Many use emailbroadcasting services. Others descend as low as harvesting emailaddresses and sending unsolicited emails. All with the mindthat their recipients may be enticed to make a purchase. But ifyour experience is anything like mine, such emails always end incyber space. Deleted without any qualms.
However, a better method is positioning yourself. Doing thiswill force your potential customer to locate you first. Whenyour potential customer comes online with a need, pain or a want,and desire a solution if he finds you, you stand a better chanceof having a satisfied customer. They may discover you through afriend, an ad, an article or in an ezine. And because thisbuyer has more respect for you, you have more chances of keepingthis customer.
Note that using the first two tips above will definitely help youto double your chances of positioning yourself.
4. Keep Your Customer Service At Top Notch: customers desireto be treated with great respect. They desire quick replies tocomplaints or request. Yes, the volume of correspondence onlinemay sometimes be overwhelming. I know you must have automatedyour correspondences to have more time to yourself. But thiscould cost you some of your clients. When a potential clientrequest specific information but receives an automated messagethat never addresses his request, he may move his businesssomewhere else.
To avoid this, devote part of your business time to attend tocustomers' and potential customers' email. You may get a hand tohelp out with this. Also, where there is a complaint, ensurethat it is handled promptly. Where a customer asks for a refund,instantly do so. But never stop there. Thank him for tryingout your product and request for his comments and the reason forasking for a refund. This will help you in upgrading yourproduct and of course can result in more sales.
Conclusion: Your customers are the engine hub of your business.Your existing customers' word can make or mar your business.You would not only want to hold on them but also profit fromtheir clientele. Do everything therefore to build a trustworthyrelationship with them. Gain their respect while offering themwhat will heal their pains. Your customer data-base can be yourre-occurring income treasure trove. Guard it well. Alwaysremember that your success depend on it.
Chadrack Irobogo
http://ideas4profit.250free.comCopyright © Chadrack Irobogo 2005. All rights reserved.
For Chadrack Irobogo's FREE email course "Success-Sure-Steps ToMaking The Internet Your Own Money Machine!" and for more provenand tested tactics and strategies to help you generate real andconsistent revenue online even on a shoestring visit:http://ideas4profit.250free.com/ez.htmlor send a blank email mailto:
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