Strategies to Attract and Keep Customers (A3811-01)

A3811-1

StrategiestoAttract andKeepCustomers

JodyPadgham

Farmerswhoselltheirproductsbydirect marketingneedtotakethetimetoreflect onsuccessesandfailuresinthebusiness. Reflectionisnotenough,however.Change canbedifficult,butassessingwhatworked andwhatdidn'twillprovidesuccessful directmarketerswiththeopportunityto anticipateandrespondtocustomerneeds andwants.

Keepingthe customersyouserve happycanbeyour bestmarketingtool.

Asuccessfuldirectmarketershouldwork constantlytofindoutwhattheconsumer wantsanddevelopproductsthatsatisfy customerdemands.Whencustomersare satisfied,theywillnotonlyreturnto supportyourbusiness,butwillalsotell otherswhatyouhavetooffer.Consumer interestsanddemandsshouldserveas productioncuestofarmersandfood marketers.Byknowingwhatcustomers want,youcanchangeproductionor presentationstrategiestobetterfit consumers'wishes.

Keeping customerssatisfied

Customersarethelifebloodofyour business,soitiscrucialtomaximize customersatisfaction.Somedegreeof customerturnoverisinevitable,but successfulfoodmarketerswillretain repeatcustomers.Itcostsaboutfivetimes moretobringinanewcustomerthanto keepanexistingone.

Iscustomerturnoverataminimum?Below arequestionstohelpevaluateyour successinkeepingcustomerssatisfied.

1.Doyourealizethevalueofyour currentcustomers?Theseareyourbest accounts.Theyarequickertobuyand requirefewer"specialdeals."Never takeyourcustomersforgranted!

2.Doyoucommunicatetoallyour customersthattheyareimportant?

3.Doyouencouragecustomerstoreturn toyourbusiness?

4.Doyoutailoryourservicestoyour customers'particularneeds?

5.Doyourcustomerscallyouwhenthey haveatoughproblem?

6.Doyouprovideuniqueservicesthat yourcustomerswouldfinddifficultto duplicatesomewhereelse?

7.Doyourcustomersfeelthatyouare concernedabouttheirinterestsand welfare?

8.Doyouattempttolearnasmuch abouteachcustomeraspossible?

9.Doyoufollowuptomakesureorders arefilledquicklyandaccurately?

10.Doyoufollowuponcomplaintsto makesuretheresolutionwas satisfactorytothecustomer?

Ifyouanswered"yes"tonineormore questions,youareabetter-than-average marketoperator.Belowsixispoor; betweensixandnineismediocre.Surveys showthatacustomerwhohasan unpleasantexperienceatyourbusiness willtelltenormorepeopleaboutit.

Buildingasuccessful,positiveimagewith yourcustomersenhancesyouroverall credibility.Livinguptothatimagecreates valuableword-of-mouthpublicity. Customersmostoftenbasetheir purchasingdecisionsontheadviceof peopletheyknow.

Complaintscan improveyourbusiness

Customercomplaintsshouldbe recognizedasconstructivecriticismthat canbeusedtoimproveyourbusiness. Workwithallyouremployeesoncustomer relationsregardlessofthefrequencyor typeofcontacttheyhavewiththepublic. Furthermore,developaprocedurefor handlingcustomercomplaintsbasedon thefollowingsuggestions:

Listentocustomersandacknowledge complaints.Customerswhocomplain expectaction.

Developempathyandshowconcern forthecustomer.

Askquestionstoobtaindetails;solicit customers'alternativesolutions.

Resolvetheactionunderlyingthe complaint.

Whencomplaintscannotberesolved immediately,updatethecustomer periodicallyontheprogress.Keepa notebookofpromisedactions.

Recordthecomplaintsandanalyze themperiodicallytodeterminetrends.

DIRECTMARKETINGINWISCONSIN

E M E R G I N G A G R I C U LT U R A L M A R K E T S

Sixwaystoattract andkeepcustomers

Thefollowingsixstrategieswillhelpyou attractandkeepcustomers.

1. Offerqualityproducts. Goodquality isthemostimportantreasoncitedby consumersforbuyingdirectlyfrom farmers. Successfulmarketerskeep customerswithr epeatsalesofqualit y products.

2. Cultivategoodpeopleskills. Attitude iscriticaltoyourbusinesssuccess. A personalinventoryofyourskills, interestsandgoalswillhelpdet ermine yourpersonalityandabilitytorelateto awidemixofcustomers. Peopleskills areessentialtodirectmarketers. Even withasincereinterestanddesireto workcloselywithyourcustomers, if youarenota"peopleperson" your chancefordirectmarketingsuccessis slim. Ifyoudon'thavethepeopleskills needed, seeifanotherfamilymember mightshinewhereyoudon't. Don'tbe surprisedifoneofy ourchildrenturns outstobeasales"star."

3. Knowyourcustomers. Tellthemthat youappreciatetheirbusiness. Eachof usvaluessomeonewhocallsusby nameorinquiresaboutusorafamily member. Thepotentialcustomeris morelikelytopurchasefromsomeone whotakesthetroubletooffera personaltouch.

4. Useattractivepackaging. Packaging mayhelpmakethesaleforsome products. Youmaywanttoreconsider yourpackageandlabel. Anyholiday seasonmayalsoprovideyouan opportunitytospiceupyourregular productwithaspecialtouch.

5. Letcustomerstrysamples. Sampling isaverysuccessfulwaytodrawnew customerstoyourproduct. Takinga tasteofaproductmightconvince someonethatpricedoesn'tmatterfor areallygood-tastingitem.

6. Bewillingtochange. Consumersare alwayslookingfornewproducts. Hundredsofthousandsofnewf ood productswillbeintroducedinthe UnitedStatesthisyear. Thechangesin manyoftheproducts, whileoften minimal, offersomethingnewor differenttoattractcustomers. Youmay needtochangeyourproduct, your package, youradvertisingordisplayto increaseyourappealtocustomers. Grocerystoreshavefoundthat bringinginnewproductsandmore frequentremodelingis essentialtothesuccessof theirbusinesses. Monitor yourcompetitionandbe willingtoconsiderchanges andnewproductsbasedon yourjudgment, experience andyourreadofyour customers.

Inconclusion, werecommendthatyou spendtimethinkingaboutthecomments andsuggestionsyouhavereceivedfrom yourcustomersthroughouttheseason. Whateveryouobservecanhelpwith decisionsaboutchangesyoucanmaketo improveyourservicesandexpandyour sales. Didyouhavemanyrepeat customers?Ifnot, whydoyouthinkthatis? Ifyouhavealistofp eoplethatbuyfrom you, considersendingoutasur veyover thewintertoaskfortheirinputand suggestionsonyourproductsorservices. Arepackagestherightsize?Product selectionappropriate?Hoursofoperation okay?Anythingthey'dlikethatyoudon't offer?Don'tforgettoremindthemtotell theirfriendsaboutyourservices.

Keepingthecustomersyouservehappy canbethebestmarketingtoolyouhave.

Copyright?2005bytheBoardofRegents oftheUniversityofWisconsinSystem doingbusinessasthedivisionof CooperativeExtensionoftheUniversityof Wisconsin-Extension. Allrightsreserved. Sendcopyrightinquiriesto: Cooperative ExtensionPublishing, 432N. LakeSt., Rm. 103, Madison, WI53706.

DirectMarketinginWisconsin isaprojectof theCooperativeExtensionEmerging AgriculturalMarketsteam. Theteam's workissupportedinpartbyaUSDAgrant

(AgriculturalEntrepreneurship-Wisconsin). Formoreinformationontheteam'swork andWisconsin'snewagriculturalmarkets, visituwex.edu/ces/agmarkets.

AdaptedfromanewsletterbyProfessor emeritusJohnCottinghamofthe UniversityofWisconsin-Extension. Edited andupdatedbyJodyPadgham. Reviewed byRamiReddy, UW-Extensiondirect marketingspecialist, UW-Platteville.

AnEEO/AAemployer, theUniversityof Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative

Extensionprovidesequalopportunitiesin employmentandprogramming, including TitleIXandAmericanswithDisabilities (ADA)requirements.

Thispublicationisavailablefromyour WisconsincountyExtensionofficeorfrom CooperativeExtensionPublishing. To order, calltoll-free: 1-877-WIS-PUBS (947-7827)orvisitourw ebsite: cecommerce.uwex.edu.

StrategiestoAttractandKeepCustomers(A3811-1)

I/2005

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