For this week’s #BusinessTipTuesday we will be taking a look at “Get To Know Your Customers Day”, which is celebrated quarterly on the third Thursday of each month! You can see the importance of this business practice as it is celebrated so often. For small businesses, getting to know your customer can truly help you to stand out to your competitors and increase the likeliness of repeat business. Excellent customer service is vital to your business, as it only reaps positive benefits, such as loyal customers, free-word of mouth advertising, and valuable feedback.
Before your business even opens you can do things to get to know your customers by completing market research. This allows you to hear feedback from people in the area your business is located and have a better understanding of the demographics of the area. Once your business is open you can continue to get to know your customers through surveys and feedback. Engaging in conversation and just simply asking customers questions can make a difference for your business and the customer. Through this you can find out what the customer is interested in such as more specific price points, likes, and dislikes, and then you will also get to know the customer on a more personal level along the way. By creating an environment of a friendship between business and customer you will gain faithful patrons. From here on out, your business can continue to foster the environment and relationships. Some ways to do so are by creating customer profiles about conversations you have had, what they like to buy, and special occasions. As well, engage on social media by commenting with followers and offering deals to customers. Also, assess competitors and see what they are offering to customers and how they do business so you can outperform their best customer practices.
The relationship created with a customer is fundamental to your business. You want customers to think of your business every time they are in the market to buy what you sell. Think of how many times you yourself frequented a business that remembered your name, went above and beyond to help you, and engaged in a conversation while you were there. I bet you can think of a few of those businesses and they are ones that you consistently visit. Take time to understand your customer because it will pay off in the long run! Please contact us via scrantonsbdc.com for any assistance you may need in getting to know your customer.
Danielle Guari
Business Consultant
The University of Scranton
Small Business Development Center
Artwork adapted from freepik.com
#shopsmall #smallbiz #customerservice #sbdc #nepa #scranton #customers
