Never Sell Again: Get Repeat Business and Avoid the Need to Prospect

If you're a business owner, you know that repeat business is critical to your success. It also makes your life much easier because you can count on ongoing business without having to continuously find new prospects and convince them to hire you.

Here are seven ways to keep your customers coming back:

1. Take time to build a relationship

Learn to "visit" instead of being so professional that you appear rude. Pay attention when you meet with your customers. Learn about them and their lives. Notice what they hang on their walls and place on their desks. And don't just notice, comment on them. For instance, if your prospect or customer has a huge marlin hanging on his wall, you could say, "I'll bet there's an interesting story that goes with that fish." Your client will be thrilled to tell you about it, and he'll be flattered that you asked. And it would be like ignoring the elephant in the room if you DIDN'T comment on it. Learning about your customer will pay off every day of your relationship.

2. Set realistic deadlines and either meet or beat them.

Nothing impresses a client more than when you follow through with what you say you will do. Do it fast. Do your best. And do it right. Clients always want it "yesterday," but if you know it can't be done that quickly, or it won't be done correctly because there's not enough time, then speak up right at the beginning. It's better to set a realistic deadline and then beat it by a day or two, than accept an unrealistic one and make the client wait.

3. Make it easy to work with you.

Extend your service hours to cover when your customers want to talk to you. If your business is tech support or Internet marketing, remember that peak Net usage is 10 pm. If you're a night person, you can impress your customers by being available during their "off" hours.

4. Offer credit card payment options to make it easy for your clients (and the government!) to pay you.

Today, businesses need payment options. If you're able to allow them to pay with credit cards, you'll have more clients. And if you're interested in government business, this is an easy way to get some of it since most government agencies are now using credit cards for purchases valued at less than $2,500.

5. Be flexible--offer to meet for breakfast.

Just like you, your clients are very busy. They have meetings all day and often during lunch, so it's hard to find a time to get together. Offer to meet for breakfast when you and your client are both fresh, or meet after normal work hours to accommodate their schedule.

6. Provide added-value service at no charge.

Give them something they aren't expecting. If you go the extra mile, your customers will notice. You'll soon be the one they turn to when they need a problem solved. It works when your vendors do it for you, doesn't it? It sure does for me! For example, I recently began doing informational teleseminars with industry experts, and I not only needed a bridge line to do them, but I also needed someone to record the seminars for me so I'd have a good finished product to sell through my website. I got one-stop-shopping with Dan Janal at Great Teleseminars, which was perfect. And, when he confirmed the information, he sent me a free copy of two of his ebooks to teach me how to do a good teleseminar! Now that's added value.

7. Refer business to your customers.

If you send business to your customers, it shows how much value them. Connect one customer with another, if possible. It's the ultimate thank you.

Lois Carter Fay, APR, is a 30-year veteran in the P.R. and marketing field. She now produces three marketing ezines, Brainy Tidbits, Brainy Flash, and Success Secrets of Women Entrepreneurs. All are free. She's also the co-author with Jim Wilson of "Sales Success! Strategies for Women," a quick-to-read ebook containing 52 easy-to-implement sales tips. The ezines and ebook are available through her websites.

Visit http://www.MarketingIdeaShop.com or http://www.WomenMarketing.com to learn more sales ideas and subscribe. Claim your free special report when you subscribe.

---

Top 10 Ways to Start a Business For Less Than $500

We've heard numerous success stories of Internet entrepreneurs like Jeff... Read More

Wealth Building Scams

I have some good news and I have some bad... Read More

Ten Tips to Build a Culture of Inspirational Leadership

Leadership, leadership development and leadership training are "Hot" issues in... Read More

Performance-Stress-Motivation: 7 Sanity Saving Business Boundaries

The lack of strong boundaries is one of the chief... Read More

7 Ways To Profit From Other Peoples Products

If you don't possess the time, money or inclination to... Read More

Learn to Improve Sales - 10 Ways to Get More Business Starting Today

You need sales and you wanted them yesterday. Here are... Read More

Reminders For Running A Better Business

The following tips are from an article we contributed to... Read More

My 7 Most Important Business Lessons

Millions of people start new small businesses in the United... Read More

5 Things You Must Do Well When Buying a Business to Not Get Burned

Are you not sure what Business to buy? Need to... Read More

Ten Steps To Better Listening

Talking is the least important half of any conversation. Listening... Read More

Top 7 Strategies for Writing Accounting Procedures

Part Two of Cash to Cash Cycle SeriesNext: SalesWe've already... Read More

7 Things You Can Do To Weather The Lows Of A Business Cycle

Hey, as hard as this may be for you to... Read More

10 Things To Do Before You Start Your Business

If you are thinking of starting a new business, or... Read More

7 Super Ways To Drum Up More Sales

1. Use subheads throughout your ad copy.Subheads are great to... Read More

Top Seven Questions for Starting Projects More Effectively

We all are project managers. Some of us manage projects... Read More

Seven Ways to Improve Your Results with Follow-up

What follows is a bold statement, but sometimes it takes... Read More

10 Budgeting Tips for Business People and Small Companies

It is possible for small companies and individual business people... Read More

Famous Business Strategies

Either simply a looker-on or a player in the world... Read More

Plan Your Success In Seven Ways

Many businesses lose money yearly because they don't think creatively... Read More

10 Dos and Donts Of Customer Services

Email etiquette is the key to help calm down anxious... Read More

Home Furnishings in India : How to Find an Exporter,manufacturer or Supplier ? Beyond a Database.

Looking for a manufacturer or supplier of home furnishings in... Read More

7 Ways To Make A GREAT First Impression!

1. Focus on the other Being known as a... Read More

Seven Ways to Get the Most Out of the Next Training You Attend

Sometime soon you will be attending some training. It may... Read More

Top 10 Items to Review & Build Your Business Now!

In building and runnng an independent private practice or small... Read More

Seven Keys to Get Out of a Rut

Rut -- a routine procedure, situation, or way... Read More

Top 7 Tips For Writing Your Marketing Plan

A lot of people are at a loss when it... Read More

How to Counsel Your Non-Performing Team Members - 10 Tips

Counselling non-performing team members is a tough part of any... Read More

Top Ten Things to Do to Make your Signature File Sell

Always include a powerful signature on every email you send... Read More

Surviving When Clients Arent Rolling In

As the holiday season starts to settle in, the workload... Read More

How To Move Your Business Online in 7 Steps

So you have set up your company, fairly established and... Read More

7 Reasons You Want Referral Business and How to Get Them

Studies have proven that there is one reason why people... Read More

Private Practice Success: 10 Essentials for Starting a Practice

As a counselor, therapist or healing professional (massage therapist, physiotherapist,... Read More

Never Sell Again: Get Repeat Business and Avoid the Need to Prospect

If you're a business owner, you know that repeat business... Read More