What will YOU do differently in 2019 to strengthen your independent businesses, empower your fellow citizens, and refocus your governments to build community vitality and broaden opportunity for all?
In 2019 challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone to make real change. If you need ideas, remember Deal Locally is always here to help.
Plan to engage your clientele and Work Your Plan.
According to Marketing at Work, the average business loses about 10 to 25 percent of its customer base per year.
People move away, die, find another business they like. You must always be looking to attract new customers. Unfortunately, this is the most expensive portion of your business.
Attracting new customers costs 5 Times the Cost of keeping your current customers!
Must you spend this much money to stay in business?
Maybe
The Short Term goal should be to get more customers.
Advertise, Use Coupons & Promotions, do whatever you have to to acquire new clients, however, Do Not blow your budget on this activity alone. We do mobile coupons, discounts and passes with Alberta Mobile Marketing.
The balance goes to Keeping the Clientele you already have!
This Should Be Your Long Term Goal
Identify Your VIP Customers
There are many ways to identify who your VIP customers are. Whether you track how much they spend personally with your company over a given period of time, which customers are brand advocates and have the highest number of friend referrals, or which influencers bring in the most sales by sharing your products on blogs and social media, it’s crucial to know who these customers are.
A great way to track your customers is to start a loyalty program.
Give them rewards for coming back, patronizing your business and referring others. Alberta Mobile Marketing can design and implement a loyalty program for you.
Rewarding your customers is important, but, it is only part of the equation!
Poor customer service can run off customers.
So can limited selection, limited business hours or access issues, such as poor parking or poor signage. In addition, some policies designed to bring in new customers may actually run off existing ones. If you offer new customers special discounts and favorable pricing but don’t reward your current consumers with the same kinds of incentives, loyalty for your business will decrease. Customers may leave to become “new” customers at your competitors, who are also offering new-customer-only pricing.
Regularly survey your customers to learn what they like and don’t like about your company, and use the findings to help improve products and services to reduce customer turnover. Train your employees on best practices in customer service and make sure you’re competitively pricing your goods and services. Monitor your competition to stay on top of what they’re doing that you’re not that could result in customer loss.
Join Deal Locally as a member!
We highlight Independent Local Businesses. Member businesses are identified and featured in articles and newsletters, along with their events. They receive Premium Listings.
Lobby your Municipal Government to support Deal Locally. We will include all participating municipality’s municipally owned amenities, municipal events, all Community Organizations and Religious Organizations that wish to participate and their events as well.
| One of the key elements of successful local business coalitions (and other organizations) is too often overlooked. In many ways, efficient, productive meetings that build enthusiasm are foundational to building powerful organizations. We often hear the argument that patronizing local businesses is a nice option for those who can afford it, but in many business sectors, doing business locally is far from altruism — it’s a money saver! |