Customer Relationships, Customer Loyalty, and your big advantage
When it comes to customer loyalty being a small business gives you a BIG advantage.
Being an entrepreneur or a small business owner gives you a huge advantage when it comes to one on one communication with your customers. What I mean by this is actual individualised and relevant communication with your customers. So not a blanket email to all of your customers in broadcast media style, but an email or a phone call or a text message that is only for them, and that genuinely gives them an opportunity they need. For these businesses it is much easier to really know and understand our customers and give them what they need.
Large corporates, particularly in Australia, still struggle to develop meaningful one on one dialogue with their customers. Even with all the technology available to them. So much so that many Australian consumers are wondering why, when they are part of any number of ‘loyalty’ programs, they are still mostly being communicated to through mass media – TV / catalogues / press etc. They give all their details and expect something in return, something special, something unique, something tailored to them. And nothing comes.
How good though that we can maintain a close enough relationship to our customers to be able to understand them and try and give them what they need even before they know themselves! You may be still small enough that you can actually remember all of this in your own little head, or you may be slightly bigger that you use your own Customer Relationship Management systems to make sure you remember everything about them. By the way this doesn’t have mean some super fancy pants expensive IT system – I mean whatever system you use to keep all the relevant data you need together in one place for you to access whenever you need it.
We live in a world where customers are becoming increasingly promiscuous when it comes to the brands they choose. So much choice. So much information. Sooo easy to buy. These are just some of the reasons why you and I, and of course our clients & customers, make damn sure we are getting the best possible value for whatever it is we need.
By value, of course, I don’t just mean the lowest price. I mean whatever each individual person perceives as valuable to them – convenience, cost, time, colour, feel, service, or a combination of things – the list is too long to explore. It is up to you to discover what value means for your ideal customer and GIVE IT TO THEM!
So take advantage of this great truth about being an entrepreneur or a micro-business owner – cherish the relationship you have with you’re your existing or potential customers. Know them, understand them, never forget what they bought from you, and thank them for being with you regularly. Surprise. Delight. Blow their mind with the fact that you really do care. Make them feel special – even if they have never bought anything from you they are still your potential customers and so it is important they know that you are there for them. Like really there for them, not just pretending!
I know that when I feel like a person or an organization cares about me that I will go out of my way to work with them when the time is right.
What a great point of difference this is in when you are swimming with the big fish!
Take care of them & take care of you,
Kate 🙂
