How Many Customers Do You Have?

Do you know exactly how many customers you have?  If a customer comes in to pick up some work you’ve done for them, and they bring a friend who sees and buys an article from your customer waiting area, do you get any basic information from that person, or do you just take their money and let it go at that?

In reality, you’re cheating yourself of possible future sales by not keeping information on the people who just stop by or come in with one of your customers and buys something.  Think about it – if somebody buys one thing from your customer waiting area, they must have liked what they saw, and would be great prospects for additional items.

If the new customer gives you a check, be sure to write down the name and address for your customer list.  And, of course, be sure to keep good information on your regular customers — what they bought, how often they’re buying from you as well as dates of service.

When you get ready to send out a mailing to your “customers”, it certainly sounds better to be sending 100 flyers rather than just a dozen or so that represent your “best” customers.  Those “one time” customers can instantly be changed into regular customers if you send out regular mailings, specials, Holiday savings coupons and the like.

And speaking of customers and mailings — get out a calendar and check each month of the year to see what you could send out that would be appropriate for that month.   We just passed “Earth Day”, which could have been used to promote your “recycled jeans into quilts” or something of the sort.  Every month has SOMETHING that could be used to draw the customers in — with a flyer or a coupon or a discount on a certain service or product.

How about holding a “bring a friend” discount day.  Give both the customer AND their friend a small discount on any purchase — AND be sure both the customer and the friend register, giving their name, address and phone number.  You might even want to hold a drawing for an item to give to one of those who have come in and registered.  WHOOHOO!  You’ve just added a bunch of additional names to your “customer” list.  As your customer list grows, so will your business grow!