Like so many trade “secrets”, this one sounds very simple, but it can turn you into a mint if implemented correctly. For whatever reason, also like many of these secrets, most of your competitors will probably never find out; and those who do will not play it aggressively enough.
Customers go where they’re invited and stay where they’re appreciated. Period.
When I first heard that on a marketing tape, I pulled over to the side of the road, grabbed my notepad, and wrote it down. I memorized it and have thought about it constantly ever since. It’s so simple, but here’s the rub. First of all, there is a lot of competition out there. That’s not a negative, but you have to wake up and smell the coffee. There are so many marketing messages bombarding us that we have basically tuned out of them. The average person only has so much money to spend, only has so much time, and has things in their life that are very important to them. Just because you’re excited about whatever you’re selling doesn’t mean they are.
Since people are so disconnected, you must not only invite them in, but you must continue to invite them again. You have to create irresistible offers, post them and make them bite. Once they have expressed interest, follow up aggressively.
For example, you can hold free events for your clients every month. You can easily contact them from your email list and take advantage of Facebook and other social networks. You can even bring in local experts to keep the events fun and informative. Usually only a few people will attend each of these free events, but you can invite and re-invite everyone. That makes a difference, because it helps you stand out from all your competitors. If I were forced to narrow marketing down to one thing, that thing would be “differentiation.” It must separate itself from all others on the market.
Once you get a client, do everything you can to keep them happy. That is the second part of the equation: showing them that they are appreciated. Once you get people to start coming back, the power of the habit will kick in. We are all creatures of habit: we buy from the same people repeatedly, once we feel comfortable with them (as long as they don’t completely screw it up). So invite them back to keep coming back, and then let the power of habit take over. They will form an emotional bond with you that will grow stronger as you can do things that show you appreciate them.
Most customers don’t feel they get enough recognition. They love when companies come up to them and say nice things to them. However, most of today’s businesses, whether international, national, or local, seem to spend most of their time, effort, and money trying to attract new customers. While there’s nothing wrong with that, you’re a fool to neglect the customers you already have. These are the people who have made it possible for you to support yourself and your family. So in your rush and desire to acquire new customers, don’t overlook the people who have kept you in business.
I know salespeople who have become millionaires working with small customer lists of 200 or less, because they have consistently taken care of their customers by being there for them, showing their appreciation, offering them great deals on new products and services. they knew what their customers wanted. Never neglect your existing customers! Invite them to come and invite them to stay. Otherwise, your business will suffer and ultimately fail.
Some marketers think, “Well, they just bought something from me. I don’t want to push something too quickly. I don’t want them to get upset because I’m already trying to push something else.” But in my experience, if you’re providing them with value and they think about doing business with you the first time around, then you’re doing them a disservice if you walk out right then. They are interested in hearing from you again because you are helping them.
No one has to do business with anyone for any reason, so you can’t force them to be your customers; But you can encourage them to stick with you and buy a second, third, fourth, or fifth time once they’ve chosen you in the first place. All you have to do is offer them something of value, especially if it makes them feel appreciated. It is always easier to get a satisfied existing customer to buy from you again than it is to convince a new customer to buy for the first time.
But never, ever forget that you have to make an effort to invite them in in the first place. My mentor briefly worked with a printer in San Diego who did a wonderful job. She found out about him through a referral and then started sending her a lot of his business because he did such an amazing job. The man was a perfectionist. He wouldn’t produce anything that had even a blemish on it.
Russ was impressed with the boy, but he was located out of the way in the last store in a small strip mall. Although Russ was doing a lot of business with him, he was hurt, always complaining that business was not going well. So Russ said, “Well, you’re kind of buried in the back of the mall.” The printer pointed out, “But there’s a sign out front,” and Russ replied, “Yeah, but it’s got about 14 businesses and you’re towards the back, and cars go through here at 50 miles an hour. So people “Don’t look at it. What you need to do is round up some college kids and have them hand out flyers within a five-mile radius. There are hundreds of businesses in that area, all potential customers of yours.”
Russ realized that his advice wasn’t digesting. The guy just gave him a funny look and said, “Look, I’m a printer. I have a sign outside that says I’m a printer. If people want to print, they’ll know where I am. They’ll have to come to me, I’m not going to them.” . It was a ridiculous answer, and Russ could see the writing on the wall. Sure enough, the printer was able to hold out for another year, but finally closed due to his bad attitude.
It doesn’t matter if you are a printer, an insurance agent, a shoe store owner or a real estate agent, you better get out there and do business. You can’t just sit and wait for someone to come to you, or the cobwebs are going to grow. Customers only go where they’re invited, and simply signing up isn’t enough. Reminds me of that Kevin Costner movie, field of dreams, where the message was “If you build it, they will come.”
That’s the way a lot of people think about their businesses. They put up their signs, get an ad in the Yellow Page, and think, “Hey, I’m open for business now, baby, go ahead!” They don’t realize how competitive and oversaturated the market is, and how the average consumer is so overwhelmed by all the ads and messages. Unfortunately, the attitude of that printer is more or less the attitude that prevails in small businesses. Don’t let it be yours.
