November 16th, 2009 by pmazzapica
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It has been said that it is significantly more difficult to maintain a current customer than to obtain a new one. No matter the service or product a businessman is selling, he must focus on customer retention to build a successful business. A strong returning customer base will provide lifetime value and lead to strong profitability.
When any businessman starts out, he will have to work diligently to build up a client base. This process is time consuming and can be frustrating, but will ultimately pay off. If he is able to retain said client base, he will be able to focus on customer service and product development. The inability to keep customers will create more work for the businessman as he has to constantly sell, which will leave him little time to provide excellent service to potentially faithful clients.
Superior customer service and a quality offering will lead to many customer referrals, which will allow the entrepreneur to again focus on other essential items other than cold calling and obtaining new clients–new clients will simply come to him based on glowing reviews from his current customers. As the process continues, his client base will grow exponentially. Once the client number is large enough that the business owner or salesperson is comfortable, he can focus on share of wallet, where he will cross sell multiple products that the business offers to the same customer. This type of brand recognition and loyalty will have create a great payoff.
Many businesses are finding the best way to capture and document their customer base is with Touchpoint Technologies’ SMART System — Sales Marketing And Retention Technology. Utilizing this system to its full extent will increase market share and help maintain customers by keeping steady contact with them while analyzing their needs and habits, thus increasing the businesses return on investment. The SMART System also allows businesses to contact customers using viral marketing (e.g. facebook and twitter).
A loyal client base managed properly will provide a consistent revenue stream, open new opportunities, swell profits, and create a successful business that will stay strong through economic fluctuations.
November 11th, 2009 by pmazzapica
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It was late fall, 2007, and our latest venture was still taking shape. I was having a game-changing discussion with my partner, Vince Albanese. We came to the vital conclusion that the serious economic downturn the country and world were in would play a prominent role in shaping our business goals and strategy. That reality shaped our direction. The high flying 1990’s were long gone, when leveraging capital to make a handsome profit seemed almost too easy, while salaries and benefits peaked. Fast forward to the end of 2009 and the difference is dramatic. Small businesses are failing at record rates, and those that are staying in the game are embracing the time-honored values that have always led to success – hard work, superior products and services, and a traditional approach to treating every customer like they are your most important account. This is our message, and we have a passion to share it with small business owners who wish to thrive, not merely survive, in this new business climate.
» Read more: From the CEO
October 29th, 2009 by Smarty
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As a local business owner you may or may not realize the marketing opportunities available on the internet and you probably feel you don’t have the time or money to invest anyway. The high costs of building a web site and the associated marketing costs keep many local businesses on the sideline.
But now local businesses have an opportunity to harness the marketing power of the Internet easily and affordably using TouchPoint Technologies’ SMART System.
Using your SMART System you will have a web presence and the ability to use that presence for the benefit of YOUR business. You will have a direct conduit to both your customers and prospects.
» Read more: Smarty’s Advice for Local Business Owners
October 29th, 2009 by Smarty
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Most businesses spend money and effort to get new customers through the door and then let them walk out with nothing more than a “thanks for coming.” Why let future sales opportunities walk out the door?
These customers have spent money on your products or services and as current customers they are likely to buy from you in the future. But you have to maintain a relationship and remind them about the good experience they had with your business. You can do so with the Smart System if you apply these 3 basic marketing principles:
1. The more often you communicate with your customers the more likely they are to buy from you.
2. If customers are not spending money on your business they probably aren’t thinking about your business either. So you have to remind them.
3. If you never capture your customer’s contact information, you can’t keep in touch with them and you’re leaving the opportunity for repeat business up to chance.
October 29th, 2009 by Smarty
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The most important part of the whole process is to get your customers' permission to send them email and SMS text messages. It is disastrous to have a customer feel like he was being spammed by you, and there are laws against it as well. This means that they will be extra unhappy if they receive unsolicited messages, but it also means that they will pay more attention to the messages that they agree to receive. This is what makes SMART System messaging so powerful.
The collection of the database of customers can be accomplished in many ways:
- In store – have customers fill out a form that gives you their contact info, try to validate the info (handwriting?) before they leave.
- Online – sign up at www.yourcompanywebsite.com.
- Phone – call your customers directly and invite them to join.
- Direct mail – send your customers an invitation to join or include club details in your next mail ad.
- Print communications – include sign-up details in your newspaper ads, flyers and other printed materials.
- In person – invite your customers to join when they are in your place of business.
Whatever you do from today on, PLEASE for the good of your business, get to KNOW your customers.
October 29th, 2009 by Smarty
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There are many benefits to using the SMS capabilities of his program take a look below:
BENEFITS OF SMART SMS MARKETING
Deliverability:
Industry analysts report that 94% of all text delivered messages are read, your marketing message will be delivered and read by statistically every member of your in your SMS TouchPoint.
Qualified Recipients:
Your members have opted-in to receive your offers and messages; you know they have interest in your business and your products.
» Read more: Benefits of Using SMS
October 29th, 2009 by Smarty
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We help our clients build and nurture business growth by giving them a turnkey-multifaceted way of identifying and communicating with their most loyal customers
Why SMART Works!
Your 'best customers’ will spend more with you! Think “Share of Wallet”. SMART entrepreneurs have always understood that loyal customers are worth a great deal more than just casual customers–even if those once-in-awhile customers are satisfied.
As a result, SMART has been designed to Capture, Know, Communicate and Grow your customer base by giving you the power of one to one direct digital communications. By knowing who your 'best customers’ are, you can be sure that they will respond to value added marketing from you! Your new found knowledge will allow you to reward your best customers with targeted offers and special treatment. Whether this is in the form of discounts, upgrades, free products or services, or special offers your members will expect and be receptive to your value based targeted offers.
» Read more: The SMART Approach
