There used to be a computer game called 'Leisure Suit Larry - Looking for Love in all
Wrong Places.' How appropriate that concept is to vast majority of businesses: they are looking for customers in all wrong places.There is a famous true story about a Chiropractor who built a million dollar practice, sold it, then went right ahead and built another million dollar practice. He generated more new clients each month than most Chiropractors manage to generate in a year.
When asked what his secret was he answered: "I don't know how to get 100 new clients in one go, but I do know 100 ways to get one new client. I just use them all."
What can we all do to build our businesses in this way?
There are a five 'key strategies' every business should be making maximum use of:
1. Product excellence: if you sell poor quality goods and services, you will probably find it hard to get new customers. The power of negative word of mouth is mighty indeed.
2. Customer service: bend over backwards to please your customers and they will bend over backwards to recommend you to their friends. Get it wrong and prepare to incur their vindictive wrath.
3. Persuasive offer: people like to be sold to. The more you can dress your product or service up in fine silk and satin garments more they will want to buy from you. Even if what you are selling is exactly same as Joe Schmo down road, if your is better dressed, yours will impress. What is this finery I am talking about? Benefits. Wrap up what you sell in its Sunday-best benefits suit and it will take on an aura of quality that is irresistible.
4. Customer contact: relationship marketing is buzz-word at moment, and that pretty much sums it up. I can never understand why so many businesses think they are exempt from this astonishingly powerful marketing technique. Rule number one for every business, whether it is a local baker, a mom and pop grocery store, an Internet marketing company or a multinational corporation is to collect names of people who buy from you. If you don't do it, every customer (or even browser) who walks away from you is a lost opportunity. You are literally throwing money away.
5. Added value: also known as 'irresistible offer.' A guy called Bob Stupak turned a run down slots-parlor in Las Vegas into a fantastically successful hotel/casino. He went on to build The Stratosphere hotel resort at end of Las Vegas Strip. He used all of five key strategies, but in particular was a master of irresistible offer. He said: 'pay me $396 right now, and I will give you two nights in a deluxe room, unlimited free cocktails, free champagne, free show tickets, restaurant discount vouchers, AND $1000 of MY money to gamble with.' Of course, it worked a dream.
