Most businesses advertise to bring in new customers. What they often fail to do is pay attention to their own store, current customer service or customer follow-up. They then lose the potential returning customer to a competitor and end up in a vicious circle of always having to get new customers. This is not a fun way to run a business.

One of the most overlooked areas of marketing for a business is working within your existing business. Think about it… you're in business to generate customers and return customers, thus increasing profits. Don't keep advertising to bring in new customers, work on your systems to generate repeat customers. It is much more effective, efficient and profitable.

What can you do to create a lasting impression on a customer, so they will refer others to your business and be back themselves?

First, start with the physical aspects of your store… Is your store clean, organized, and inviting? It should be… Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and Target spend millions designing the layout of their stores. Everything is in a place for a reason. How about your store? Are the items in a specific area for a specific reason?? Or is that where they just kind of ended up? Are smaller items up front and the larger shelves/furniture in the back? This gives a more open and inviting feeling to the store. Customers will be drawn in and feel comfortable going deep within your store. Do you have music playing to match your customer? Grocery stores, Department stores and others learned the benefits of shopping music long ago. Just because you have a smaller store does not mean that you should not use the same tactics as the big boys. There are entire books written about this subject, but the important point is that everything in your store is there for a reason.

Second, what about customer service? Do you have systems/training in place to ensure that your customer will feel welcome and appreciated? It is always a challenge to find good help, but it is more important to have a system in place to train the help to be good. Do you have specific training program for those that you hire? Simple checklists for the cashier go a long way towards building lasting relationships. Does the cashier smile? Ask for an email address? Look the customer in the eye and thank them for their business? By showing the customer you care, it will create a positive, lasting impression that will create customer loyalty and increased sales.

Third, how is your customer follow-up? Do you have a system to capture email or physical addresses? If so, you can email customers about upcoming sales, special events or holiday reminders. Do you have a specific direct mail program to your existing customers, or your natural customer (those within 10 minutes of your shop)? The idea is to stay in front of your clients so that when they are ready to buy, they think about you and your store. Having the processes in place ensures that your will capture more business and repeat business.

Marketing within your four walls means having systems in place to address the needs of your clients and build customer loyalty. The 3 crucial areas that you need to address are your physical store look and feel; customer service and customer follow up. If any one of these three areas are lacking, chances are that you are letting your competition get more of your business than they deserve. Create an inviting shopping environment, a pleasant staff and a follow up system to keep your customers informed. This will ensure that your business will continue to grow and prosper.