Keeping new customers forever

Developing a good relationship is a "must-have" before the other things are even discussed. If the customer does not like you, he will not buy from you. It does not matter that your product or service is the best on the planet selling at the lowest price, if the customer does not like you he just won't buy it.

Close personal friends

It is vital to have a warm, friendly relationship with all - yes all - your customers. Even the ones you do not like. Your target should be to create close personal friends from each and every one of your customers. How do you do this?

There are a number of things you can do; one of the quickest ways to do this is to personalise all your communications. Sounds obvious, doesn't it?

Every communication must be personalised. Hand-written, if possible. Addressed to an individual or team and signed by hand. Mail shots and robot letters must be personally addressed to the individual receiving it if possible. A letter that starts "Dear Customer" or a application for employment that is addressed to the HR manager and starts "Dear Sir/Madam" has little or no chance of being successful. A letter starting with "Dear Mr Smith" or "Dear Samantha" has a much better chance of being read in a positive light.

Address by name

When you address your customers, do so by name and you are much more likely to stay customers for ever.

Finally, here is a perfect example of a way to seem personal even though you are advertising to the mass market. The following is printed on the back of the phone book this year in Henley-on-Thames, just outside London.

Motoshop

We are in High Wycombe, just a few minutes walk from the town centre. We open at 8am, don't stop till 5.30pm except on Saturdays because we have families, so we close at 4pm. We do MOTs.(like a COR is SA) We love it. We smile. We care and we haven't forgotten the emotions involved. We like our customers and you seem to like us. Perhaps it is because we always remember that ultimately, one day, we are all somebody else's customer.

Motshop: Simple, Honest, Reliable