Collecting Your Customers’ Information – Keep the Relationship Going
Collecting Your Customers’ Information – Keep the Relationship Going
Sales are built through successful relationships, and relationships require frequent “touches”. Once you have the interest of a customer or a prospective customer, it’s important to stay in touch with them, reminding them of your business and what makes it special. This is especially effective in retail businesses where you provide customers with products they buy over and over again, such as pet food and supplies.
Email marketing and social media are two effective ways of staying in touch with a high volume of prospects and customers, while maintaining a personalized feel to the interactions. In order to stay in touch via email marketing, you’ve got to be sure to capture email addresses. If your checkout system is run by computer, make asking for an email address a part of the check-out process in the store. Alternatively, you can keep a stack of information cards near the register and ask customers if they’d like to fill one out and join your email list. Make this question a part of your phone script for prospective customers as well. Let them know that you carry a wide range of products and would like to let them know when you are offering specials or have exciting, new products available.
Establishing a Facebook page is a great way to let customers and bird fanciers know what’s happening in your world. You can build credibility, establish yourself as an expert, highlight new or popular products, and offer followers special deals. For those in your email database, providing a clickable link to your Facebook page in your email updates and asking recipients to “like” your page is an effective way to build followers. Provide in-store customers with a card that gives your Facebook and webpage addresses, or have it print on every receipt. Ask followers to recommend your page to their friends, and spread the word through your local Avian club or other community groups.