CUSTOMERS Tips
Read these 12 CUSTOMERS Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Selling tips and hundreds of other topics.
Price and shoppers
Price is normally a question and not a real reason to buy or not to buy. Price should never be an issue. We buy for convenince, for service, for something we think we need to have, to satisfy a whim or because we liked what a sales person had to say about the product. When a customer is "just looking" it is up to the sales person to create urgency in buying. Should they buy now since the price might go up, will there be a decrease in supply, or is this just a convenient time to time the product. We, as buyers in general, buy things we don't always need. We impulse buy, we buy because someone makes us think we need to have it now.
Sales by number
Although the sales saying is "it's a numbers game", cold calling is becoming a dinosaur in sales strategy. Targeting the right potential customers is a more practical approach when setting appointments by phone. In this hectic global world of competition, making for a firm appointment can put you and your customer on the same playing field. You want a captive audience when you talk about your product and in return when things are replanned, the customer is making time to listen. It's simply called sales with time management and not by lottery strategy.
Questions to purchasing agents
The good start to ask a purchasing agent is "who are they buying from now". Knowing your competitors is important to comparing what you have to another company's products. Ask the buyer what they like about the other product, how the service of the other company is and are they happy with the availability of the product. When you figure out what your product might have as a feature or benefit over the competitor, play up on that point. Asking for what it will take to get the sale is highly recommended.
Increase Current Customer Revenue
If you have taken the time and effort to get a new customer, then you have provided a service, or product, that has been beneficial to them. They now believe in you, your company, and the products and services that you provide. What they don't know are the additional things YOU can do for them beyond what you've already done. The key to increasing the revenue they spend with you is to consistently maintain contact with them to evaluate their current needs and problems. Customer needs change continuously. Be the one to help them grow, perform better; build 'their' business, etc., by continuing to provide the 'perfect solution' to their needs. Sometimes you will need to be the one to uncover a new need, by suggesting upgrades, new ideas, and consistent service. Make 'every' customer - your 'best' customer.
Keep Your Best Customers
Competitors are always targeting YOUR 'BEST' CUSTOMERS. They will consistently try to lure your customers to their side, by offering new ideas, new services, new products, and new personalities. If your customers see that they can expect the same from you 'consistently', they will become your most loyal business. Always strive to offer more to your customers than they expect...after you make the sale. Just as you prospect...so do your competitors.
Are you a customer?
Customers are people just like you and me. We have many similarities (we all need your product), and we are all different (I like coffee, you won't touch the stuff). Being able to adjust your stature and behavior to others in subtle ways will make them feel more comfortable doing business with you.
Corporate Diversity quote
"Keep asking yourself, 'What kind of a company would my company be if everyone in it was just like me?'"
-– Brian Tracy
If everyone in my company were just like me, there would be no new ideas, everyone would see things just like I do, and we would be very limited in our growth.
Renewed Business
Did you know that research has shown:
"90% of your customers WANT to renew or increase business with you every year?"
Business Knowledge
To deal with your customers in a professional manner, understand their needs and pinpoint your specific product/service VALUES. Learn to understand business operations. Every business is there to make a profit. To operate at a profit a business must build volume and keep costs down. This involves their purchasing, production, distribution, and administration processes. Learn what it takes to operate a business in order to understand your customer better.
Diversity in Sales
Diversity is an important business issue. Our prospects and customers come from different backgrounds, are various ages, have different religious beliefs, choose different lifestyles, are different genders, cultures and languages. Our prospects and customers have different styles, tastes, backgrounds, educational levels, abilities, looks, personalities, likes and dislikes, and have different needs and problems. Value the differences and similarities in your prospects, be able to work with diverse people, and you can diversify your customer base.
Keeping your customers
It has been quoted by the masters that if you can retain an additional 5% of your current customer base each year, you will increase your annual revenue by much more than that. A good customer should always have priority over a new prospect. Take care of your customers.
Appointments
The best way to set appointments is to begin with a prospect list of people you want to meet with. When you make the phone call, be prepared to immediately gain customer interest in meeting with you. I call these...Interest Creating Remarks. Be yourself, let your personality come out, smile, express interest in the person you`re talking with, and most importantly - allow your conversation to be non-threatening (you`re not trying to `sell` anything - except the appointment)...you just want to stop by and visit for a few minutes. Make the other person WANT to meet with YOU :-)
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| Sheri Ann Richerson |
