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Management Information |
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Its All About The Customers, Baby
If you want to ensure a steady stream of customers in your business, you must always remember why you're in business in the first place. Sure you want to earn a decent income for yourself, but you also want to provide a useful service don't you? That second reason should take precedence over the first. Your main aim should be to provide a useful service to people. Making lots of money from it should be secondary. When you have your priorities in that order, guess what happens? The money starts to come in! You literally become a customer- magnet. Know why? Because when people sense that you genuinely care about them, they'll become loyal customers and will get their friends and family to buy from you as well. Remember, no matter how much money you want to make from your business, without customers, you won't make a thing. So always, always, always, always, always(you get the point, don't you!?) always(!) think about your customers first. Consider it an honour to be in a position to serve them. Then think of ways to serve them to the best of your ability. Here are a couple of ways to take good care of your customers: a. As often as possible, ask them what they want or need. The most successful businesses are the ones that satisfy the *known* needs or wants of customers. Don't assume you know what they want. Ask and be sure. So find out what your customers want, ask them how you can serve them better. Then provide that need for them. Even if you don't sell the product or service they want, find someone who does and refer your customer to them. Be a resource; they'll love you for it. You'd have saved them the trouble. And they'll reward you for it by being loyal to you. b. Aim to provide more value for money. This can be in form of 'try before you buy' offers, or giving away something for free. It could also simply be regular courteous service - going the extra mile, so to speak. Always think 'how can I provide more value for my customers?' With that mindset, you will be alert and open to opportunities to give more value to your customers without breaking your bank balance! Can you think of other ways to take good care of your customers? About The Author DR Kem Thompson is a Business Success Coach. She works with women in business, helping them to create successful and prosperous businesses while achieving balance and fulfillment in other areas of life. Subscribe to her FR*EE newsletter, 'Business Times For Women' by sending an email (write your first name in body of email) to bt4w@daysofsuccess.com or kem@daysofsuccess.com You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. Please print the article in its entirety unchanged and notify the author by email when you use it.
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