A great question to ask yourself and your company's leadership is, Why are your customers your customers? The likelihood is that your present customers could find the same products or services somewhere else, so WHY, have they chosen to do business with you?
Although a basic concept and one that you would think was easily answered, it is a question that not too many businesses are asking themselves. In the creation of business an marketing plans, it is imperative for us to consider WHY our customers chose us in the first place?After all if you do not know why you have present customers, how can you add to those who are fortunate enough to do business with you!
A couple reasons why this question is SO important;
1. If you don't know why your customers were drawn to your company or continue to use your products or services, how can you effectively market and promote your business?
2. Effective Marketing and promotions should focus on what your companies does well, or better than you competition, not knowing what you do well may mean that you are promoting and marketing your company incorrectly.
3. You can not develop more loyal and repeat customers without knowing why they bought from your company initially. It is more expensive to obtain new customers than encourage your present customers to come back again and again.
Some of the reason that your present and potential customers will call on you are;
1. Location, location, location - Some customers are visiting your company because of the convenience of your store or service to their routines.
2. Relationships - Some customers do business with you based on their personal relationship with you or someone else within the company.
3. Pricing - Some customers will shop around and do business with you because you were the cheapest or most expensively priced products or services.
4. Quality - Some customers will look out and continue to do business with you based on the quality of your products or attention to detail during your services.
5. Customer care - Some customers do business with you based on how you or another employee went the extra mile to meet the customers needs.
Perhaps you could do a poll or survey of your customers, asking them, Why have you chosen to do business with us?
Your present or potential customers that you would like to secure, can purchase the same product or service from someone else. How are you different from your competitors, and are you focusing on these with your marketing efforts?