Posts Tagged ‘customer loyalty’

Most store owners have a stream of people walking in to simply window shop, check out the wares and make enquiries.  While the number of footfalls is high the number of actual buyers or regular customers may not be as many as the footfalls.

One of the biggest things that store owners have on their wish list is to convert cursory visitors who come in to the store as walk-ins in to regular customers.  Here are 6 tips to help you along the way…

A Warm Welcome

Make an impression from the moment the customer walks in.  A cheerful greeting and a warm welcome don’t hurt your business.  In fact they just make people feel like coming to the store because the atmosphere is so warm and welcoming.

Some tips to achieve this…

• Always greet your customer
• Smile when you do it
• Be sincere
• Offer them a glass of water or a drink say tea or coffee
• Ask if you can show them around the store
• If they say that they’d like to look around on their own accept it and tell them you are always there to assist them.

The Personal Touch

Most people prefer the personal touch if the store that they are going to is delivering personalized/customized products/services.  So if people walk in to a designer store or a salon they would rather talk to the designer or hair stylist in person. 

If you are busy then working with appointments might be a good idea.  If people who walk in would like a one to one discussion with you then get your staff to give them an appointment, show them some samples of previous work, give them a business card and ask them to leave their names and numbers behind.  You can call them up later and have a discussion over the phone before they come in to see you.

If you happen to be free then make it a point to be accessible by talking to walk-in clients personally.  People value the effort and it is really the biggest investment that you can make.

Offer Value for Money

Pricing involves two major factors, one is the price that people pay and two is the value they believe they are getting in return.  Price and value is not the same thing to everyone.  If people believe they will be getting value for their money then they might not question the price.  I’m saying might not because one cannot generalize such behavior. 

One way of attracting people is by offering value for money.  Supermarkets and discount stores have worked on similar lines for a long time now.  But as a customized product manufacturer or designer you cannot follow the discount store model just as it is.

What you can do is explain to people how they will get value for money.  A television program I saw recently featured Varuna D Jani, a jewellery designer who explained how a necklace designed by her could be worn by itself as a simple accessory or could be dressed up by adding a pendant to an invisible link provided.  The same necklace could go from chic to blingy with one small addition…versatility adds up to great value for money. 

Give Good Advice

Customers expect good advice from business owners and value it far more than a discount or low prices.  A hair stylist who takes time to explain why the hair cut you see on a model in the fashion magazine you took along to the salon wouldn’t be right for your face and lifestyle is doing you a favor.  If he/she were to simply cut your hair like that, you would end up regretting it and never go back there again.

Give customers good advice about products and services that would suit their budget, needs and lifestyles.  A genuine interest in people will win hearts and it is the route to take if you want people to keep coming back to you. 

Interest in the Other Person

Display interest in the clients and what their needs and aspirations are.  Work around this instead of imposing your views on them.  A client who can only afford so much should be given a product that fits his/her budget and is of the best quality that one can get for the price.

Do not succumb to the temptation of palming off your most expensive product to the client simply because it means more profit.  Resist the urge to pressurize clients in to buying two things if they come to get just one item.  Pressure selling tactics turn people off and they will most certainly not come back to you. 

A Guest Book

Asking even cursory visitors to sign a guest book is a good way to build a client base.  With free SMS facilities available online, you can resort to less intrusive advertising via cell phones or even use email marketing. 

Gently request visitors to sign the visitor’s book and leave comments even if they simply look around and don’t end up buying anything.  Tell them their feedback is valued all the same and that you will use the contact information to inform them about events and promotional schemes at the store. 

A gesture such as this indicates that you don’t regard them any less and that they will be prospective customers for you even if they haven’t made a purchase right away. 

You never know where a business opportunity lies in wait so never underestimate the importance of cursory visitors.  Put your best foot forward and adopt a sincere approach and you will soon build a good customer base for yourself. 

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