Customer Retention Can Be Easy!

Customer Retention Can Be Easy!
Long before the winter's holiday sales, retailers across
the country were trying to lure shoppers with unique, new
strategies. This is also your cue to take advantage of the
expensive years of research that's already been done by top
retailers, and apply innovative "packaging" to your
business to drive more results your way.

It doesn't matter if your business offers a product or a
service; the goal is to gift-wrap your products or services
in a way that will become a valuable gift to your clients.
And who doesn't like valuable gifts? The goal is to
fine-tune successful strategies to fit your unique business.

5 Fast Ways to Attract More Business And Keeping Customers
Coming Year-Round

1. Think Gift Certificates.

Gift certificates are a fast, low-cost way to translate
your business into a gift, be it a two-week workshop, a
free consultation, a defined discount on your products or
services—you name it! The National Retail
Federation's 2007 Holiday Consumer Survey reported that 54
percent of consumers wanted to receive a gift card as a
holiday gift. Why not offer gift cards for other holidays,
or during your business's anniversary, or once a month?

2. Think Add-Ons.

Offer a valuable add-on to your product or services. Offer
a content-rich CD as a free gift with your consultation,
workshop or product. Add a free subscription to your paid
newsletter. Add on one free week of services for every five
paid weeks of services. Add a complementary product free
with each product sold. For more immediate results, add a
"limited time only" availability of your add-ons. To drive
customers and clients to your business year-round, create a
calendar of "special" offers with add-ons. One twice a
year? One each month? Visit my website at www.ruthklein.com
to learn how I complement the services within my business
with add-ons such as a content-rich CD, a personal
consultation, a mini-course, and other services that are
packaged as a free gift to sponsors or participants in my
workshops, seminars, and other services.

3. Think Partnerships.

To make your product or service unique, consider a
partnership with a complementary (not competing) business
to truly set yourself apart from similar businesses in your
field. Airlines partner with vacation destinations Resort
hotels partner with cooking schools. Banks partner with
community events or popular charities. Partner your product
with a service. Partner your service with a nearby
restaurant, hotel, spa, printing service, local charity or
complementary service.

4. Think Luxury.

If a gift is a luxury, then think "luxury" as your calling
card to drive clients to your business. Mobile spas are
being asked to provide an on-site or off-site extra to
services and product-providers. Incentives such as hotel
stays being offered to employees of companies also can be
offered to clients. Offer a gift of gourmet coffee at your
place of business and add an extra gift of a package of
gourmet coffee clients can take with them.

5. Think Long-Term.

To keep driving customers to your business year-round,
think of marketing strategies that will result in customer
loyalty. Don't just think Christmas. Think seasonal to
market add-ons and partnership packages as a continuing
"gift" strategy that will tie in by the wording of your
campaign and the packaging of what you offer to fall,
winter, spring, and summer.

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Always appreciate fresh new marketing and branding tips to
drive your business several steps forward? Tap Ruth Klein's
expertise at her upcoming Brand and Pitch Boot Camp.
http://www.ruthklein.com/bpbc