New Customers Now Marketing Blog

When consulting with Restaurants, Auto Repair Shops, Dentist and many other Businesses (actually I’m now helping over 56 different industries acquire new customers) the first question I ask them is. Who exactly is your best customer? The variety of answers and responses I receive are just plane pitiful from I don’t know, to I sell everyone. First of all, not all customers are created equal and when you hear “there’s no such thing as a bad customers,” that’s really a bunch of BS. Personally at my age I only want to work with customers that get it and are responsive. If they aren’t good clients I fire then and I suggest that everyone needs to fire a customer once and a while that’s why it’s so important to know who your best customers are. Okay enough of the rant lets get back to the WHO. My question seldom gets answered so we have to go through an exercise to help my clients determine their best customer.

Know WHO are your best customers?

Deciding on who your best customers are is a very simple task that will bring you a very large payday. But you must take the time to figure this out. Here’s how to walk through the exercise its simple, simple. Get out a sheet of paper and start putting down the traits of your ideal customers (you noticed I said Ideal and I want at least 10) such as age, income, kids in the house, male, female everything you would like them to be …..GOT IT?…… Okay now go over what your best customers look like the ones that already do business with you and write that info on a separate sheet of paper. Now match-up the 2 sheets of paper and see the similar traits. You now have the profile of you very best customer. Okay, I really simplified the task but you get the idea……..

Why find the WHO?

You now know the who! But why do you need to know? Because now you can write to that group of people and make them an irresistible offer to come into your business and spend their hard earned money with you rather then with some big chain restaurant or big box store. Example: I have a independent karate school that has determined that his best customers are parents with kids between the ages of 3 to 6 years old. Consequently, we have developed a letter for him that address all the issues that parents have with 3 to 6. Do you think the letter would be effective if it was a generic letter trying being sent to parents of teenagers, pre teens and 3 to 6 years old all in one letter? The questions and problems are different in each age group like; drugs, sex, peer pressure etc? If you answered yes each age group has a different set of circumstances then it also holds true for adults 30 to 50 years olds they see the world differently than young singles 20 to 30 year old and retired grandparents have a completely different set of circumstance. So that’s why you need to determine the WHO.

New Customers Now is a Done-For-You company that will help you determine your best customers. Then we will get the list, develop the letter or postcard, print,stuff and stamp your mailer … If you would like a FREE 20 minute consult with absolutely no strings attached to hear how we can help you get more new customers and ideal customers that will be a joy to sell then contact Shannon at 517-548-5315 or e-mail  her.

The other day I was speaking with one of my new Restaurant Owners that’s a consulting client and he made this statement, “I’m hoping for a really good weekend… I need the cash!”

Oh My!!! Can you imagine my surprise when he made that statement? Any owner of any business should never be put in the position of hoping for sales. I can’t imagine opening my doors and hoping that someone comes into my business and shops. I asked him what would happen if they decided to go across the street to the big chain restaurant. Would it mean he can’t pay rent or meet his food bill? How long before he’s out of business??

Wake Up Folks

This is not the same old economy where money is flowing like the stimulus bill. We’re in a new economy with new rules… and let me tell you, those rules are very harsh! “The government is not going to bail us out” .. Either you can decide to follow the same old marketing patterns or create new ones that actually work and can be brutally and honestly measured. One of my clients in Washington has a very successful restaurant, doing 6 mil a year in business, with a wait of 1½ to 2 hours every Friday or Saturday. I asked him why he still uses me for his marketing, and his answer was“… because I’m afraid the line will go down to less then 30 minutes, that would be very bad for my business!” Theoretically, he could quit marketing and save all that money. However, he understands that people aren’t spending as much today as they did in the past, so he must continually market in order to keep his numbers constant.

This Is Not A Time To Become Timid

This is not the time to become timid with your marketing or only use the cheapest and easiest marketing methods. E-mail marketing is the big craze however it’s not always the best .. Sure it’s cheap but it’s only about 3% effective… meaning if you sent 3000 e-mails, 90 will get opened. BUT how many will actually respond is the big question? You need to stop and ask yourself, “How effective and How much business did I receive from the E-Mail???”

You must use all methods that make you money and can be measured, such as postcards, inserts, e-mail , newsletters , no peeking, and bounce back coupons (remember the easy customer to sell is the one you already have ).

Diversity leads to stability

The more methods you have to bring customers into your door, the more stable your marketing (and your customer count) will be. So figure out how to expand your marketing strategies and use every one that creates a positive cash flow.

……Next blog Why Customers Stray …..

Have a Great Marketing Day!