Menu

Your Industry News 

Five great ideas to double your business
Graham Hawkes
/ Categories: Miscellaneous

Five great ideas to double your business

It should be second nature in any business to look after your customer base and entice not only your regulars but anybody you deal with to come back to you rather than go to the opposition next time they need your product.  No market should be taken for granted and if you look after your client base in the good times then it is inevitable that they will continue to deal with you in the event of a downturn.   The sums are easy.  If you get your customer to come back and buy again then you have doubled your turnover.

 

So what you need is a system or systems in place to ensure that it happens.  And sure there will be a cost involved, but it will be the most effective form of advertising you will ever do.  So here are some ideas to help ensure that you have a loyal returning customer and client base.

 

Loyalty Cards 
Most of us have been to coffee shops, service stations, drycleaners and other retail outlets which have some kind of a loyalty card.  The concept is simple.  The customer buys a certain number and gets one free.  Or alternatively the card is stamped for every $10 or $20 spent and after a certain number of stamps a gift voucher is given for the same amount.  Either of these systems encourage the customer to come back and spend at your place of business.  This is a very effective way of getting return business and it is very much underutilised.

 

Incentive Vouchers
This is another simple ploy.  For example, present this voucher next time you buy and receive a free service or widget worth $25. The beauty of this is that the widget worth $25 probably only costs you $10 or $15, or if you are providing a service it probably cost you nothing but the customer perceives that you are giving him a whole lot more than it is actually costing you.

 

Have special promotional nights
Select some of your better customers and offer them a free viewing of a new product range. This makes them feel very special and of course when they view the product range you will offer them an enticement to buy before the range is released to the general public.  As an example, Farmers card holders regularly get invited to evenings giving them special buying privileges.

 

Seminars
Don’t take it for granted that your customers know everything about the products that you offer.  Why not have a seminar to promote your products and services – or it may be a seminar on an industry related topic – or a topic which will relate to their businesses or personal lives.    And if the seminar is held at your place of business then you have got a golden opportunity to offer them a great deal for the night.

 

Newsletters
Newsletters are a great way to keep in touch with your customer base and promote your people, your products, new developments and again offer them incentives to buy from you.

 

There are many many variations on these ideas and any business whether in retail, wholesale, manufacturing or the service industry can utilise them to the best advantage.  And naturally I would be happy to talk to any of you about ideas to get you repeat business.

Previous Article In retail, often you only get one chance
Next Article Get yourself a database
Print
1663 Rate this article:
No rating

x