If you have customers, that's good. If you can sell them repeatedly over time, that's better!
Actively pursuing repeat sales, also known as backend sales, is one of most profitable things you can do for your small business.
Here are three ways to do it ...
1. Say, "Thank you" Start with a simple thank-you letter. Ask yourself this -- when's last time you got a thank-you letter from a company after giving them your money? I'll bet you can't remember. See possibilities for standing out and generating good will?
I created an email template so I don't have to write same thank-you email over and over. It literally takes seconds for me to send one out to each client.
A heartfelt "thank you" is all you really have to say, but you can go a bit further in your message, by doing following:
reinforce why it was a good idea to buy from you in first place -- sell your company after sale to cut down on buyer's remorse and returns/refunds offer another product or service to complement their original purchase; you can make this a limited-time offer, as I do (see my example thank-you email below) refer customers to affiliate programs at other Web sites that pay you anticipate frequently asked questions (FAQ) and tell customers how they can get service after sale ask for referrals Simply sending a thank-you message after sale will help nip service problems in bud. By acknowledging people who buy from you and opening a channel of communication, you can turn unhappy customers into raving fans who later recommend your business.
Really, when you think of it, only thing that differentiates your business -- online or off -- is service.
Yes, it's crucial to have highest-quality product/service possible. But what customers remember (and what they tell their friends) is how they were treated. You can set tone for a positive, profitable relationship with all your customers simply by thanking them right after they purchase from you.
2. Send a survey Customer feedback, negative or positive, is a crucial tool for fixing holes in your business. You can get that feedback via an online survey.
As of this writing, you can get one free at Zoomerang (www.zoomerang.com/). I've used them for over a year and highly recommend their survey creator.