Keeping Customers, Friends and Members

CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management.  It is a strategy used to develop stronger relationships with customers in order to generate loyalty and sales. Today, we not only want to keep customers, but our friends, online and offline, and our members in our business networking groups.

Unfortunately, the most common CRM method that we see in small businesses is hit or miss, like throwing darts at a board with a blind fold on.

Guessing at what your customer’s wants and needs are will rarely produce results.

Keeping your customer relationships alive and thriving is the key to their loyalty.

Basic Tips for keeping your customers:

The customer is a priority.  Customers are smart enough today to know when your focus is more on sales then on them and their needs. When you lose focus on the customer, you lose loyalty and sales.

 

Understand your customer.  Gather information about who your customer is, where they go and what their needs are.  Do surveys, get point-of-sale feedback, run contests or set up a social media group. Just listen.

Find a system that fits your company.  Experts will agree that over 70% of CRM systems fail. Why? Lack of commitment to the customer and lack of understanding about what methods best supports their business. What works for you? Infusionsoft, Salesforce, SendOutCards, Constant Contact or a combination?

Start small and manageable.  Develop a plan.  You might begin with an email campaign, social media or a newsletter first. Then when those first steps demonstrate results, your company can look at the next element of your strategy.

Get everyone on board.  From salesman to manager, get everyone connected to your CRM strategy. Don’t let disregard for the company’s vision fracture your strategy.  Empower your staff and sales team with knowledge, inspiration and tools.

Now you see him, now you don't...

Lack of visibility will cost you business.   

We often speak about the importance of the Know, Like and Trust factors in referral marketing. But the formula is not complete without Visibility.

There is a common misconception that just by belonging to a business networking group you should get referrals.

Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way.

"Where did he go?"

The members of your group still need to get to know you, like you and trust you. They can’t do that if you don’t show up on a regular basis.

One doesn't generate trust without consistency. In fact, your referrals will begin to decline the minute you start missing meetings, even if you have a substitute.

There will be times of sickness and other emergencies that cause you to miss a meeting. That’s understandable.

However, when attendance is poor, the trust factor begins to deteriorate. The missing member will seem unreliable and will lose credibility. Fellow members may wonder...

· “Where is she?”

· “Is this how he runs his business?” 

· “Will she show up for my client or send someone else?”

· “I manage to get to the meetings on time, why can’t he?”

· “We must not be very important to her.”

· “Is there something wrong? What’s going on?”

As for profitability, empty chairs can’t give or receive referrals and there is always one of your competitors in the wings ready to take your business.