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Brand Your Consulting Business
Today’s competitive marketplace for consulting services is no longer responsive to the marketing strategies that worked in the past. The services you provide should speak volumes about your consulting business. Think about what happens when you hear...
Go Ahead And Use That Copyrighted Material, It's Fair Use!
---------------------------------------------------------- Permission is granted for the below article to forward, reprint, distribute, use for ezine, newsletter, website, offer as free bonus or part of a product for sale as long as no changes are...
Going public: now that you have successfully made the transition, what do you do?
Going public: Now that you have successfully made the transition, what do you do? Ok, you have successfully accomplished your dream of being the CEO of a public company. The stock of your company has a symbol and you are continually going to the...
PR Failure Defined
Please feel free to publish this article and resource box in your ezine, newsletter, offline publication or website. A copy would be appreciated at bobkelly@TNI.net. Net word count is 745 including guidelines and resource box. Robert A. Kelly ©...
Use Every Weapon You Have
One of the strongest weapons available allows business, non-profit and association managers to begin changing the behaviors of their key external audiences in ways that lead directly to achieving their primary operating objectives.
The name...
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What's the Secret to Repeat Business?
When you think about ways to gain repeat business from your customers, you probably turn your thoughts to marketing efforts such as advertising, public relations and other means that will allow you to repeatedly be seen. However, without one particular element included in your plan, your efforts to entice customers to buy over and over will fail. Even autoresponders - the "king" of repeat exposure - can't produce the type of loyalty needed to ensure your customers continually send their dollars your way.
This missing link is often not even considered as part of a marketing plan - but it should be! What is the secret to repeat business? Exceptional customer service. Are you surprised? You really shouldn't be. Put yourself in "consumer mode" for the next minute or two and let's explore the power of a solid customer service program.
Think of the last time you purchased from a business and had a poor experience. What brought you to the business to begin with? Maybe low price. Perhaps it was that the company had a product/service you needed immediately. Even selection can play a role in attracting us to a business. But once you bought, what happened next?
When the product didn't live up to your standards or when the service didn't work as expected, did you get the response you needed? Did the company show concern for your position? Did they correct the mistake or issue a refund? If not, you - like most others - probably left vowing never to buy from them again.
What you experienced was a marketing plan that had no follow-through. They were able to entice you and draw you in. They were successful in getting you to spend your money. However, when it came time for the plan to promote "backend sales", it failed. It had no follow-through and they lost the remainder of your business for life.
Here are several things to consider when creating a customer service program that will help to boost your marketing plan and your repeat business.
1. Weigh your options. Many small business owners panic at the
sound of the word "refund". Don't! Think seriously about what you'll be losing. You could take a small loss of $29.95 now (or whatever the cost of the product is) in exchange for future sales; or you can retain your $29.95 and lose hundreds or thousands of dollars later in future business. If their complaints are handled to their satisfaction, the majority of consumers say they will buy from your company again.
2. Get personal. The number one complaint most consumers have is that businesses don't appear to care whether they buy from them or not. Get to know your customers. Send a thank you note or small gift when a purchase is made. Fire off a short "just checking in" email when the customer's purchases seem to slow down just to ensure all is OK. This extra effort will be noticed - and appreciated.
3. Follow through. If and when a problem with a customer does arise, be sure to follow through. Don't simply tell the customer that you'll ship a replacement product immediately. Call or email them a day or two later to be sure the new product arrived and is working as needed. This is a true way to WOW your customers and lock in future purchases.
4. Have a plan. Don't fall victim to "policy", but do have a flexible plan of action for when customers aren't 100% satisfied. Knowing what you plan to do will alleviate some of the shock and stress associated with handling unsatisfied customers. It will also allow you to present yourself in a helpful and friendly way when working to fix the problem.
A 1996 study performed by the U.S. White House Office of Consumer Affairs proved that, if you treat your customers with genuine caring and fairness, they will indeed reward you with their repeat business for years to come. That's something you just can't get from ads or autoresponders!
About the Author
Diane C. Hughes * ProBizTips.com
FREE Report: Amazingly Simple (Yet Super Powerful) Ways To Skyrocket Your Sales And Build Your Business Into A Tower of Profits! ==>> http://madmarketer.com/diane
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Puerto Rico - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
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The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) |
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CIA - The World Factbook -- Puerto Rico |
Profile of Puerto Rico by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). |
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Edelman |
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Online Public Relations Home Page |
Free online resource for public relations professionals. |
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Chartered Institute of Public Relations, CIPR, the professional ... |
The CIPR is the professional body for the UK public relations industry, providing PR training and events, PR news and research, and a PR jobs board. |
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PR News Online — Trusted Source for Public Relations News, PR ... |
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O'Dwyer's Public Relations News - odwyerpr.com |
Features breaking news about the public relations industry, a database of PR firms, listing of PR service firms, client search tool and job postings. |
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PR News Online — Trusted Source for Public Relations News, PR ... |
E-letter. The latest news on public relations delivered FREE right to your inbox. ... Share ideas with your peers in PR News' just-launched Forum ... |
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Linux PR: |
Comprehensive Press Release and Public Relations resource for the Linux community. |
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Escape to Puerto Rico - Your Internet Guide to Puerto Rico |
Internet guide to everything Puerto Rico. Offers lots of photos, accommodations and travel information from around the Island. |
escape.topuertorico.com |
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