Communicate with Customers

Communicate with Past and Current Customers with Valuable Information and/or Special Offers

It is much more cost effective to increase sales to past and current customers than it is to find new ones.  Depending on the industry, there are different techniquhttp://www.mccraigh.com/Archives/marketing_plan.htmles that work well, but here are a few suggestions of ways to communicate:

1. 1.      Develop a frequent purchase card where after so many purchases or a set dollar amount a free gift or future discount is given.
2. 2.      Become a source for information.  Create a newsletter or have flyers available to help to educate the consumer.  If the perception is that the business cares enough to educate the consumer more business will follow
3. 3.      Have a special or "secret" deal for past customers.  Since you are a valued customer, you get a sneak peak at what is coming at our customer appreciation evening scheduled for . . .
4. 4.      Create a special deal for past customers during the slow times of the business.  As a past customer, here is 15% off for purchases any Monday in July.
5. 5.      Have a cost effective way to communicate.  One such solution is Constant Contact.  You collect e-mail addresses and then use their cost effective solution for templates to send as e-mails.  To find out more about this service, visit www.4luvofbiz.com and click on the Constant Contact button from the links page.  It is quick and easy.  Most people now have e-mail so even for businesses that have a local client base and no internet presence; this is an easy way to let customers know about exciting information.

For more ideas and examples of this type consider the tele-class entitled Marketing at Low Cost and No Cost.

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