The Simplest Formula for Success: Keep the Customers You’ve Already Got

Your company’s current customers are the absolute #1 source of your future sales.  When you lose customers, you lose all of their future business and all of their referrals to your competition.  When you keep customers, you keep that pool of sales for yourself. 

The fact is, loyal customers spend 33% more than non-loyal customers.  And referrals among loyal customers are 107% greater than among non-loyal customers.  If the business that wins a customer stays in touch, treats him fairly, remains valuable and continues to build the relationship, that customer can’t help but use and refer the business!

How does this happen?  It begins with a relationship between you and your customer.  The relationship is strengthened by your good service and the company’s quality products.

With these elements in place, a solid marketing program makes the relationships between you and your customers even stronger.  And as a part of your marketing, a well-designed “customer retention program” will make a significant difference.  It can pay huge dividends in loyalty, upsells, resells, backend sales and referrals.

You must keep your company’s name in front of your customers.  With 4,000 ad messages a day, you can see how quickly an un-contacted customer can forget your company’s name.  Let’s look at a few tools that can keep a customer’s memory fresh…

§  A “thank you” note after a service or installation call is not just being “polite.”  It’s a part of a smart customer retention program that reinforces appreciation for their business.  The thank-you should come from the tech and/or the company owner/president.

§  Refrigerator magnets with your company’s name on them aren’t just “freebies” from your company.  They serve a dual purpose.  They hold little Jimmy’s artwork on the refrigerator gallery – while also keeping the name of your company in the customer’s home 24/7 where visitors can also see your company’s name.   

§  Low-cost Holiday Cards can be sent from Thanksgiving to New Year’s.  This retention effort is especially important during this time because any sales message sent between December 10 and January 12 is a waste of money.  Yet you don’t want to forget your customers during the holidays, and you don’t want them to forget you.  After all, these are the people who will enable you to be in business next year. 

Plus, with all the family gatherings going on, you certainly want your name to be at the top of your customers’ minds when a repair call is made.   Tip: Send them first class to clean your list during this annual effort.

§  Newsletters are the most profitable retention tool of all.  The most economical and efficient way to package “helpful, insider information” is through a good, strong Customer Retention newsletter program. 

Your newsletters should have information that is not solely about the business. This is because you must – repeat “must” – retain customers’ interest… and 2500 words on sump pumps will not do it.  In order to be effective and interesting, maintain a 60/40 split of “general interest” to “specific field interest” in your editorial split.  Call 1-800-489-9099, email freestuff@hudsonink.com or fax

334-262-1115 with your address or click here and request for a free sample.

The best newsletter campaigns give customers rich, interesting information that helps customers run their households safely and cost-efficiently.  Plus, they bring your company name and logo right into your customers’ homes.  It keeps them informed about new products and services while proving customer benefits.

All of these are worthwhile, because as you now surely know, your company’s current customers are the absolute #1 source of your future sales.