How Long Before Your Customers Forget All About You?

It’s a horrible mistake, and all too easy to happen. Almost every one of us has made it, at one time or another. As business owners, we won’t know it happened until it’s way too late, and there’s almost never a good way to repair the damage.

You probably know that your customers are by far the most valuable single asset in our business. So why do so many of us almost seem to go out of our way to ignore them? We sometimes act as if they don’t even exist until they call us. Or worse yet, we call them, but only when it’s time to ask for an order.

I’ve made this mistake before, and after more than a few years in business, I’ve finally learned that no customer, large or small, should ever be taken for granted. It’s easy to see how this can happen in a large corporation or even in a retail outlet, but there’s no possible excuse for this to ever happen in a small business. Period.

Yes, large corporations can outspend us in glitzy ad campaigns or posh office suites, but no amount of cash can replace the personal connection and attention a small business can offer its customers. Forget this, and you’ve probably given up the best competitive advantage you could ever dream of having.

Think about it: for some reason, we all try to look bigger, investing in complex voice mail systems, big business styled websites, and logos that try to make us look “Fortune 100.”

And yet, the world, our customers, cry out for connection. We all just want to be heard, and to be understood.

Here’s my plea to all business owners and sales professional:  Always stay in touch with your customers on a regular basis, and do it in a meaningful way. Yes, getting this right will take some time and planning, though with a dash of imagination the process will be enjoyable and profitable.

Once you grow your company past  more than a few dozen customers, the logistics of staying in touch can be a problem. We get busy with other things, and the problem seems too big to solve. So nothing happens. Instead, why not take action immediately and put a communication plan in place now? Any solution, even imperfect, may be enough to get your momentum back. Improvements can easily be made as you go.

Key take away: Keep the focus of the communication on your customer, his/her needs and problems.

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In case you’re interested, here’s a basic MCP (Master Communicator Package) that guarantees that your customer will receive a real world contact at least bi-monthly as well as electronic contacts in between mailings and phone calls.

• Color Postcard (3x per year)

• Phone call (from your CSR or top management 3x per year)

• Blog Post (12x per year) Can also be distributed via FaceBook or Twitter

• E-Zine Distribution (12x per year)

• Syndicated Blog Post (6x per year) Created using modified content from e-mails previously sent

How We Do It: BrandOne designs the program, sets up your web and e-mail sites, and seamlessly delivers the e-mail and blog content you provide on a regular schedule. You provide a data list in Excel and make the phone calls according to our coordinated calendar. Our Copies&Ink division will custom print your post cards, pay the postage and deliver to the USPS.

A program requires a minimum of your time, and is quite cost effective. For example the above program costs are approximately 64 cents per customer per month, based on a typical 500 customer list. This includes postage for mailings.

Done well, this program provides increased value for your customers on a regular basis. The frequent blog posts will also improve your online search visibility. Your customers will have top of mind awareness about your company, not to mention increased warm-fuzzy feelings of feeling understood and appreciated. All of which translates to increased profits.