John Carpenter Dealey
This is truly an amazing world we live in these days. The internet gives us instant access to new ideas, education and income opportunities everywhere on the planet.
Technology is changing at such an incredible pace. Frequently it is challenging, and occasionally overwhelming, to keep up with all the new income possibilities that are being discovered and developed each day...
Fortunately for us, even with the multitude of new ideas for business that are available for us, our bottom line has stayed the same. In reality, there still is only one way for us to make money. We have to provide a product or service that someone needs or wants.
Especially with today's global economy, your customers are still the lifeblood of your business. Without customers to purchase your products or services, you certainly won't have an income for very long. It simply makes sense to continually find new customers and then follow thru and take very good care of them.
By having a goal of finding good customers, giving them great products and following up with excellent customer service, you will find that many of them will turn into active advocates for your business.
What that means for you is the best kind of advertising available - and it is free ! How many times have you asked a friend for a recommendation and then taken your business to where they suggested? My point exactly - most of us do that all the time !
The most successful customer care program actually is quite simple - there are only a few easy steps for you to follow.
When you set a goal to give your customers quality products and follow up with excellent service, you will find they turn into a great source of repeat business for you.
What else is really great is that, given proper care, your clients also can become active advocates and promote your business for you.
When that happens, you will find your financial rewards will be also be matched by great personal satisfaction. I think you'll agree that makes it all worthwhile, right?
Here are six easy-to-remember stages to help you identify and carefully cultivate your customers as they grow into your most valuable assets.
1. SUSPECTS: There is a very simple rule called the Three Foot Rule. Anyone that comes within 3 feet of you is a 'Suspect.' You 'suspect' they might like to have what you offer, so you introduce your product or service to them.
2. PROSPECTS: Not everyone is going to want what you have. The next step is to qualify your suspects. Ask good questions to find out if they can benefit from what you are offering. Those that want or need what you have will become prospects for your business.
3. CUSTOMERS / CLIENTS: Your next step is to qualify your prospect. Not everyone that does want what you have will be in a position to do business with you. Again, the secret to success in this step is to ask good questions and LISTEN to their answers.
The prospects that want what you have AND qualify to purchase become your clients. Your next goal becomes retaining them and turning them into repeat buyers.
4. SATISFIED CUSTOMERS = REPEAT BUSINESS: All long term businesses enjoy the benefits of repeat customer sales. In this increasingly impersonal world of ours, superior customer service will make you stand out in any industry.
Go the extra mile with a smile! Satisfied customers will generate referral business for you. They will gladly send their friends and family to you.
5. REFERRAL CUSTOMERS: Take exceptional care of your repeat customers and your will see your list of referral clients grow and that will give you the best kind of customers there are!
If you set your next goal to give them outstanding service, they quite possibly will develop into such great fans that they will become Active Advocates for you.
6. ACTIVE ADVOCATES: When your customers reach this level, they will make it a point to tell all of their friends, family and associates how great you are!
As your best customers spread the word about your quality service, that will generate enormous profits for you. Your personal as well as financial benefits can be tremendous when you reach this stage.
Here are a four customer service ideas that can help you take your business to a superior level:
* Send a thank you note or card. A simple hand written note will cost you less than a dollar, take only a few minutes of your time and could generate hundreds of dollars for you. A sentence or two can generate enormous financial and personal satisfaction returns for you.
* Find out what each of your clients like and keep a watch out for articles of interest - either personal or professional - and either e-mail or snail-mail them to your customers.
* Keep track of birthdays, anniversaries, actually any special events in their world, and acknowledge them.
* Under promise and over deliver. Always give your customers more than they are expecting. Think about how you feel when someone goes this extra step for you. See what I mean? This definitely works!
All long term businesses enjoy the benefits of repeat customer sales. There is an established principle in the business world called the 80/20 Rule. In the majority of successful companies, 80% of your revenue will be generated from only 20% of your customers.
What this means for you is that if you set one of your goals to identify those 20% and cultivate them, your income will skyrocket.
So here you are - a simple road map for you to follow on your journey to success. The road from 'Prospect' to 'Advocate' is paved with quality products, personal attention and superior service.
Carefully cultivate your customers and your rewards will be active advertising advocates. And that is a goal worth striving for!
Article Source:
http://www.bestmanagementarticles.com
http://customer-relationship-mgt.bestmanagementarticles.com
About the Author:
John Carpenter Dealey started his first business at age nine and became a "self-made millionaire" by the age of 27. If you would like to learn how to apply these powerful Mastermind principles in your own life, sign up for a free subscription to MasterMind Tips ezine at: http://www.dr-mastermind.com/
This is truly an amazing world we live in these days. The internet gives us instant access to new ideas, education and income opportunities everywhere on the planet.
Technology is changing at such an incredible pace. Frequently it is challenging, and occasionally overwhelming, to keep up with all the new income possibilities that are being discovered and developed each day...
Fortunately for us, even with the multitude of new ideas for business that are available for us, our bottom line has stayed the same. In reality, there still is only one way for us to make money. We have to provide a product or service that someone needs or wants.
Especially with today's global economy, your customers are still the lifeblood of your business. Without customers to purchase your products or services, you certainly won't have an income for very long. It simply makes sense to continually find new customers and then follow thru and take very good care of them.
By having a goal of finding good customers, giving them great products and following up with excellent customer service, you will find that many of them will turn into active advocates for your business.
What that means for you is the best kind of advertising available - and it is free ! How many times have you asked a friend for a recommendation and then taken your business to where they suggested? My point exactly - most of us do that all the time !
The most successful customer care program actually is quite simple - there are only a few easy steps for you to follow.
When you set a goal to give your customers quality products and follow up with excellent service, you will find they turn into a great source of repeat business for you.
What else is really great is that, given proper care, your clients also can become active advocates and promote your business for you.
When that happens, you will find your financial rewards will be also be matched by great personal satisfaction. I think you'll agree that makes it all worthwhile, right?
Here are six easy-to-remember stages to help you identify and carefully cultivate your customers as they grow into your most valuable assets.
1. SUSPECTS: There is a very simple rule called the Three Foot Rule. Anyone that comes within 3 feet of you is a 'Suspect.' You 'suspect' they might like to have what you offer, so you introduce your product or service to them.
2. PROSPECTS: Not everyone is going to want what you have. The next step is to qualify your suspects. Ask good questions to find out if they can benefit from what you are offering. Those that want or need what you have will become prospects for your business.
3. CUSTOMERS / CLIENTS: Your next step is to qualify your prospect. Not everyone that does want what you have will be in a position to do business with you. Again, the secret to success in this step is to ask good questions and LISTEN to their answers.
The prospects that want what you have AND qualify to purchase become your clients. Your next goal becomes retaining them and turning them into repeat buyers.
4. SATISFIED CUSTOMERS = REPEAT BUSINESS: All long term businesses enjoy the benefits of repeat customer sales. In this increasingly impersonal world of ours, superior customer service will make you stand out in any industry.
Go the extra mile with a smile! Satisfied customers will generate referral business for you. They will gladly send their friends and family to you.
5. REFERRAL CUSTOMERS: Take exceptional care of your repeat customers and your will see your list of referral clients grow and that will give you the best kind of customers there are!
If you set your next goal to give them outstanding service, they quite possibly will develop into such great fans that they will become Active Advocates for you.
6. ACTIVE ADVOCATES: When your customers reach this level, they will make it a point to tell all of their friends, family and associates how great you are!
As your best customers spread the word about your quality service, that will generate enormous profits for you. Your personal as well as financial benefits can be tremendous when you reach this stage.
Here are a four customer service ideas that can help you take your business to a superior level:
* Send a thank you note or card. A simple hand written note will cost you less than a dollar, take only a few minutes of your time and could generate hundreds of dollars for you. A sentence or two can generate enormous financial and personal satisfaction returns for you.
* Find out what each of your clients like and keep a watch out for articles of interest - either personal or professional - and either e-mail or snail-mail them to your customers.
* Keep track of birthdays, anniversaries, actually any special events in their world, and acknowledge them.
* Under promise and over deliver. Always give your customers more than they are expecting. Think about how you feel when someone goes this extra step for you. See what I mean? This definitely works!
All long term businesses enjoy the benefits of repeat customer sales. There is an established principle in the business world called the 80/20 Rule. In the majority of successful companies, 80% of your revenue will be generated from only 20% of your customers.
What this means for you is that if you set one of your goals to identify those 20% and cultivate them, your income will skyrocket.
So here you are - a simple road map for you to follow on your journey to success. The road from 'Prospect' to 'Advocate' is paved with quality products, personal attention and superior service.
Carefully cultivate your customers and your rewards will be active advertising advocates. And that is a goal worth striving for!
Article Source:
http://www.bestmanagementarticles.com
http://customer-relationship-mgt.bestmanagementarticles.com
About the Author:
John Carpenter Dealey started his first business at age nine and became a "self-made millionaire" by the age of 27. If you would like to learn how to apply these powerful Mastermind principles in your own life, sign up for a free subscription to MasterMind Tips ezine at: http://www.dr-mastermind.com/