How To Develop Lasting Customer Loyalty
Do you find it difficult to make money from your business? Do you seem unable to get people to buy from you? And those that do...do they rarely, if ever, make a repeat sale...much less show any loyalty to your business?
You've heard the business slang flying round the internet. You've heard words like 'CRM' (Customer Relationship Management) that we are supposed to spend a fortune on, to learn how to develop fantastic customer loyalty...deepen trust...to get repeat business.
And yes...it is true. Those things are all important. But it's very easy to get so caught up in the detail that we frequently lose sight of the 'BIG' picture. We end up swallowing the camel while we strain at the gnat.
I believe that CRM and all the other things can be important for running a business, but also believe that we need to use some common sense. I know...I know...you're going to say that common sense isn't so common in the majority businesses in this day and age. And you would likely be right.
Before I get to the main point, I will try to show what I mean with a short story. It may help clarify what I am saying.
I had to fire an employee some time ago due to a few somewhat 'unloyal' deeds. He was quickly hired by one of my competitors, who possibly wanted to pump him for information. However, it turned out to be quite beneficial for me since he kept me in touch with what was going on over there.
He lives just down the street from me and would come by every now and then just to say 'hi' and shoot the breeze. Once he came by and told me he was going to attend some big seminar shortly.
His boss was paying for this 'outrageously' priced ticket for a 'CRM' seminar. The purpose was that everyone in the company would learn how to manage their customers. Right?
Anyway, I asked him later how it went. He said it was great. he learned some great ideas, but the problem was that his boss wouldn't implement any of them.
Would you believe it! They had spent a fortune in sending the whole staff to this fantastically expensive seminar, and wouldn't let the employees implement anything they learned! Did I hear 'common sense' mentioned somewhere?
Sometimes, we (yes, I am included here) get so bogged down with the detail we have to manage that we lose our focus on the big picture. If you decide to 'manage your customer relationships' you should just keep it simple.
Golden Rule: 'Think Simple'
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you!"
Can you imagine how much loyalty you would get from your customers and your clients if you always treated them like you would want to be treated?
Uh huh!
So, sit down and take a few moments to imagine yourself walking into your own business. Compare how you are most likely to be treated with how you would like to be treated.
Think of ways to give your customers more than they expected, to make them want to return. To WOW them! Do you really, really want loyal customers? You may say you do...but your actions may not show it now. Well, do they?
I thought not. Simplify your life: get rid of all that 'fancy CRM' stuff you believe in, and get into your customers' shoes. Give them a great time when they deal with you. Make it a great experience. They will give you a lifetime of the loyalty you are looking for in return.