Business owners have only one source of wealth and it’s not their talent or expertise. It’s not even the product or the services they provide. Their main source of income, and ultimately wealth is an existing client base; and yet it’s very easy to neglect that source; it is always easier to retain clients than it is to obtain new ones and it will help you boost sales productivity and cut the cost of sales.
You can focus on your most valuable opportunities. After all, it is more profitable to keep an existing client than find a new one. Keeping track of all your company’s interactions with customers lets you give a better service and stop sales slipping through the cracks.
A company can lose as many as 50% of their clients over a five year period and acquiring a new customer can cost five times more compared to retaining an existing one. Winning new customers is vital, keeping loyal customers happy and doing more business with them is also essential. Clearly, it pays to build a lasting relationship with customers.
Marketing to existing clients is an often overlooked strategy. As well as maintaining your client base by providing quality service and exceeding their expectations you should be offering them other services If you don't ask your clients to buy more from you, they'll rarely offer (you sell, they buy). I believe you have to keep searching for ways to deliver more value to customers; offer more reasons to visit your company. You can build tremendous sales momentum if you offer add-ons and optimized or premium versions. Don't just sell an exterior car wash - up sell it with a paint restoration and / or full interior detailing.
What would happen if you took your client list email addresses and sent out the occasional email making them a special offer, or reminding them that it’s been X amount of time since they last had their vehicle detailed and asking them if they would like to make an appointment, or asking them for referrals? You would probably increase your re-booking rate by 20-50% and their rate of referrals could easily double. And it will have cost you virtually nothing.
Go out and meet your top 10 clients. Don't try to sell them anything, but do ask for referrals. Take them to lunch, or even better a coffee at Starbuck's.
This is a powerful strategy simply because in this modern and hectic world, no one seems to want to do it anymore. If other people aren't doing something, that's a good enough reason for you to think outside of the box and try it.
• How often do you communicate with your clients by direct mail?
• What are you not offering existing clients that you could be offering them?
• How often do you communicate with your clients by direct mail?
• Do you test and measure the response?
• Do you spend at least 15 minutes each month thinking of an exclusive offer you can make and e-mail to your existing clients?
• Do you say 'Thank you' to your clients either by letter, email or telephone?
• Do you proactively ask your clients for referrals?
• If you have a limited service or product line - do you know of additional companies, products or services that your clients could benefit from?
• What are you not offering existing clients that you could be offering them?
• How often do you communicate with your clients by direct mail?
• Do you test and measure the response?
• Do you spend at least 15 minutes each month thinking of an exclusive offer you can make and e-mail to your existing clients?
• Do you say 'Thank you' to your clients either by letter, email or telephone?
• Do you proactively ask your clients for referrals?
• If you have a limited service or product line - do you know of additional companies, products or services that your clients could benefit from?
Car care product sales, carpet dying, PDR, AC system cleaning, headlight and / or windscreen restoration, cosmetic wheel repair, paint or leather upholstery renovation and etc. There are hundreds of great marketing strategies that can be used in obtaining new clients. But first and more importantly, you need to nurture your relationships with existing client; they are your primary source of income, and your most important asset.
They are the first key to your financial stability; the second is word of mouth referrals from existing clients
Summary
Professional detailing can be a great business opportunity, but like any other business, it requires very careful planning, marketing and execution. Work smart, take the time to study and understand your market and build a business strategy around it. Once you've established your business plan, all it takes to execute it is hard work. Take the time to understand your market and build a strategy.
Plan your marketing and work your plan
I hope the above article was informative. By having some understanding of the ‘What’ and ‘Why’ as well as the ‘How’ along with a little science to help you understand how the chemicals we use react, you can achieve the results you desire.
Questions and/ or constructive comments are always appreciated
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