How to Win Repeat Sales

Do you have a list of customers that you would like to turn into repeat sales? Following is some advice to help you turn those current customers into long-term customers.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Keep your promises. If you offer customers a guarantee and they act on it, keep your word by honoring the guarantee.
2. Show your appreciation by giving your current customers a special discount.
3. Remember your customers during the holidays by sending them a special gift along with a greeting card. Some gifts to consider include calendars, pens, notepads and coffee mugs.
4. When doing business face-to-face, offer to pick up the tab for dinner, coffee or drinks.
5. On occasion, run a contest only for your current customers.
6. Get to know your customer. Knowing their likes and dislikes will allow you to serve them better.
7. Ask for feedback. When a new customer places an order with you, send him or her an email or letter via postal mail (after you know they have received their order) asking for his or her feedback. Were they satisfied with the product they ordered? Do they have any suggestions that could help you improve on your business? Then at the end of your email or letter to the customer, thank him or her for their business and offer them a discount of 10 percent or more off any future purchase. You can also offer an additional discount for any friends or family they refer. Be sure to assign an expiration date to the discount so they will have a limited time to act. Of course, for the referral discount, you do not have to give an expiration date, and you can offer this discount for every friend or family member he or she sends your way. After all, word-of-mouth is the best form of free advertising, right?
8. Take advantage of online social networking. If you have customers on the friends list where you social network, then take advantage of all the social network's features to keep in touch with your customers.
9. Go out of your way to help your customers. If a current customer contacts you to place another order but needs a service you do not normally offer, make an exception (if possible) to accommodate that customer's needs. For example, he or she might something sent via Priority Mail and it is not listed as a shipping service you offer, you could make an exception to win another sale from that customer. If you apply the advice above, be honest, treat your customers with respect and listen to their needs, then you just may have a customer for life. Not only will you gain a life-long customer, but you could also receive the best form of free advertising every business strives for--word-of-mouth referrals.

Tips & Warnings

• When running contests, do not require that your customers buy anything. Let them know the contest is 100 percent free and tell them how to enter.