GET REAL about your customers.

By Rowdy McLean. March 2009

Customers are more important to you in this economic climate than ever before.  Yet, how do you get more customers in your business?

You need to move them from prospects to advocates and to do this you need to understand the evolution of the customer.

It looks like this...

1. TYRE KICKERS - They have seen one of your ads or stumbled into your business as they were passing by. These customers have come to check you out and can disappear as quickly as they arrived if you don't engage them and look after them.

2. INTERESTED - These customers are interested enough to come back and see you again, it's like the second date, this could really go somewhere if you are consistent.

3. CUSTOMERS - Okay now we are cooking! These people are in your database and are regulars in your business.  They are starting to bring in real value to you, find out what they like and make recommendations to them about other products and services you provide.

4. FRIENDS - These customers enjoy spending time with you and will refer other customers to you.  Be aware however, these customers have other friends (businesses) that look after them and it does not take much to ruin the friendship.  Look after these customers, find ways to become their BEST friend.

5. ADVOCATES - These customers love you, recommend you to others, are loyal and would not go anywhere else. This is what we must strive for in customer relationships, the more customers we have in this bracket the more successful we are as a business.

So the secret to success is to get real about your customers - identify what percentage of your customers sit in each bracket and then develop strategies to move them up a level, one level at a time.

Copyright 2009 Ron McLean

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