by Kent Covington
Somebody once told me "If two people are exactly the same, one of them isn't necessary". The same is true in business. There is no way to convince a person to do business with you, rather than with a competitor, unless they can clearly see why you are different from the competition. If you want to stand out, you must begin thinking of status quo as your enemy.
It can be hard to resist the gravity of normalcy; to NOT automatically do things the way they're typically done. I realize you're not in the auto service business, but let's take for example an oil change center, a tire shop, or a full-service car wash.
When you walk into the waiting area at one of these auto service centers, what do you see? Chances are it's cold tile flooring, florescent lights, a dozen or so stackable chairs, a pile of old magazines, a 20 inch television that never has anything on you're interested in seeing, and of course an old pot of coffee next to a stack of styrofoam cups.
Why is this such an accurate description of nearly every auto service waiting area in the nation? Is it because everyone likes to read 2 year-old issues of Motor Trend while sitting in a scarcely padded chair, sipping stale coffee? Or is it because that's just the way it's done?
That's the way all auto service waiting rooms look, right? Customers don't complain about it, so what is the problem? They don't complain about it because disappointment is the result of unmet expectations. Consumers have largely accepted the fact that 99% of auto service waiting areas look like this. They don't expect anything more, so they're not terribly disappointed with the experience. Does this mean they wouldn't respond if they were offered something better?
If you want to stand out from the competition -if you want to build something exceptional- you must take a bird's eye view of your company and the general industry standards; and then challenge the status quo. Don't except business as usual.
Start by asking the question "What do our customers expect"?
If they get anything less than what they expect, you'll have a fire to put out.
If they get exactly what they expect, you'll have contented customers.
If they get MORE than what they expect, you'll have loyal customers that will tell others about your store.
Do everything the way it's always done within your industry; keep up with your competitors, and you'll probably be fine. But if you want to be more than "fine"... reject business as usual; force your competitors to keep up with YOU, and you will stand out from the crowd.
Once you know exactly what it is that sets you apart from your competitors, it's time to tell your customers. Use your on-hold marketing, and all other marketing communications to teach them or remind them why and how YOUR company doesn't settle for the status quo. Remember, if two companies are the same, one of them isn't necessary. Make sure you're different.
What can you begin doing this month to challenge the status quo and go beyond your customers' expectations?
WinOnHold Marketing... What's In It for YOU?
IMPROVE YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE!
“Though our goal is not to have anyone on hold for any [prolonged] period of time, we have had fewer hang-ups... and we have been complimented repeatedly on our on-hold messages."
- Christina Bentley, Westwood Winnelson
As you know, 30 seconds can seem like an eternity when you're on hold. In fact, most people will hang up after only 40 seconds of silence. But studies show that on-hold marketing will actually make your customers' time on hold seem shorter, helping to ensure that he'll still be waiting on the line when his call is answered. It's impossible to help a customer who has already hung up the phone, so it's paramount that you do all you can to minimize customer hold times, and make use of quality on-hold programming while they wait. WinOnHold will help you improve your customer service and protect valuable customer relationships!
ENHANCE YOUR IMAGE!
"Customers comment on how professional the on-hold ads are."
- Don Calvert, Indianapolis Winair
How do you want YOUR customers to think of you? Every Communication you have with your customers shapes the way they view your company. WinOnHold’s scripts are written by experienced copy writing professionals to help ensure that your message is clearly and persuasively delivered. Your messages will SOUND terrific too as they are voiced by announcers with national radio, television, and feature film experience. Image isn't everything, but it is very important! With messages that are professionally written, voiced by some of the best talent available, and expertly produced your on-hold marketing messages will strengthen YOUR image!
INCREASE SALES!
"The largest benefit I have noticed is the education of our products that our customers receive from listening to our on-hold messages, which has helped us market new products and increase sales... I have recommended this service to other people!"
- Gavin Havens, Corsicana Winnelson
Well-crafted on-hold marketing is one of the most cost-effective marketing tools in the world for cross-promoting your products and educating customers about everything you offer. On-hold marketing allows you to let customers know about new products… or existing products they may have thought about purchasing from you in the past. WinOnHold will help ensure that YOUR store is the first place your customers turn when they need any of the products you offer!
To learn more, or to get your on-hold marketing up and going, please call the number below or visit the WinOnHold.com homepage.
(888) 465-3661
"When it comes to servicing customers, using WinOnHold is a no-brainer."
- Joe Verow, WinWholesale Area Leader
Your Most Valuable Business Asset
Your customer database is one of the most valuable business assets you have. If you are able to keep your customers for many years and do business with them repeatedly you have a foundation that will keep your business growing and prospering long into the future.
What information should your database contain:
The names and addresses of all your active customers, that is anyone who has made a purchase from you in the past year. Your file should also include the phone and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses of all your active customers. To keep this data up to date and accurate, make sure you review it a least once a year.
The names, addresses, phone, and fax numbers of all your inactive customers, that is, those people who haven’t purchased anything from you in over a year.
In addition your database should have a section for good customers and one for customers who are not good. For example, customers who are not so good would be those who don’t pay their bills on time, who complain a lot, and people who order but cancel. When you know who these difficult people are, it’s easier to avoid wasting time or money on them.
You should have all this basic information in a secure database on your computer. If you don’t have this information in your database, then you need to reconstruct it from invoices or any other records you’ve kept regarding people who have purchased from you.
If you haven’t kept good records and can’t reconstruct the data about your customers or clients, then start from scratch and ask every customer you deal with to give you their name, address, phone and fax number, and e-mail address. You must do that with each customer.
When you are capturing their information it is always good to ask them for their birth day (not year) as well, because when you know their birth day, you can send them a gift of some kind each year, or at the very least, send them a birthday card. It’s a nice personal touch that will set you apart from your competitors.
It is very important that your database also includes a record or each purchase a customer has made, what they purchased, and the date when they purchased it. This information is very valuable because it will show you a person’s buying habits, and once you know their buying habits, you can position yourself to sell into and around the pattern.
For example, if you notice that Customer X bought many of the vegetable-seed packets that you sold in your nursery last year, you should call, send a letter, or e-mail to Customer X a week or two before you take delivery on next year’s seed packets. If customer X is really into gardening, he or she will love you for giving him or her an early alert, and this customer will probably make an even bigger purchase of seeds the second time around. In addition, Customer X might buy some gardening tools or perhaps one of the new gardening manuals that you hope to have on display next season.
You need to know who buys more than anyone else. But it’s important to separate out the names of those heavy buyers because they deserve more of your personal attention. High volume customers are the people most likely to respond to an add-on offer or an up sell or cross sell on a special promotion. Those are the customers or clients you should put in the hands of your strongest salespeople.
It’s important to realize that your database is universal. Once you know who your biggest and best customers are, you can contact them by phone, letter, fax, or e-mail, or by a personal visit and sell them things even before you have to lay out money for inventory.
Database marketing means classifying the customers you have by studying what they buy. It means marketing in a targeted way to your big customers, your little customers, your multiple-purchase customers, your single purchase customers, and to the people who haven’t bought yet. Target each of those segments separately, and tailor your selling messages specifically to that segment.
Start focusing on your biggest and best customers today, because that is where you will make the easiest and most profitable new sales.
Copyright© 2005 by Joe Love and JLM & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Joe Love draws on his 25 years of experience helping both individuals and companies build their businesses, increase profits, and achieve total success. He is the founder and CEO of JLM & Associates, a consulting and training organization, specializing in personal and business development. Through his seminars and lectures, Joe Love addresses thousands of men and women each year, including the executives and staffs of many of America’s largest corporations, on the subjects of leadership, self-esteem, goals, achievement, and success psychology.
Reach Joe at: joe@jlmandassociates.com . Read more articles and newsletters at: http://www.jlmandassociates.com . Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Love