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.
