You must watch the competition and price your products correctly. You do not necessarily have to be the cheapest but you certainly cannot be the most expensive! None of the steps below will work unless you have products that are competitively price. Many people are willing to buy at a price that is slightly higher than the lowest if they feel that they are getting better service.
Follow up with a phone call a week after satisfying their order and ask if everything was okay. Did their order arrive on time? Were they happy with our service? Were any goods damaged? Send them a feedback form after every delivery. Some customers will fill this form every time and alert you to any problems before you lose them.
Ask your business clients if they would like to subscribe to your monthly newsletter. Remember to always make it clear that they can opt out at anytime. This way you can inform them the latest developments in your business, new product launches, new staff arrivals, changes to policy and much more.
By sending them regular information, your customers will share your joy when you inform them of any good news. They will feel your pain when you share any negative developments. By keeping your customers abreast of the latest developments you can in some cases turn the customer into your friend.
It is far easier and cheaper to get more business from an existing customer than it is to find a new one. Do you remember how long it took you in man hours and phone calls before you eventually got their first order? Why throw this away so quickly just because your business does not have a system in place that monitors existing customers.
How could you improve your service to them? Such a simple question to ask but the answers can be so powerful. If a customer does respond to this question learn from the answer and implement changes so that next time they get better service. If you are lucky they will teach you how to do more and save money!
When would they like you to call again? Stick the date in your diary and make sure you call them!
Do you always remember to ask for more business? Asking for more business might seem simple but it is amazing how many people forget to pick up the phone when the customer is ready to place his next order.
If they are happy can they give you a testimonial or a referral? Some of the best testimonials should be in your brochure and in your regular newsletter. Remember to follow up on referrals as they can be the easiest to get new customers to pick up.
