What is it that makes or breaks your business? While there may be several different factors that relate to your business, customers are among the most important. Without them, the business goes broke. So, how do you get new customers?
Do you want a real business? Then you must find the fastest, most reliable, and least expensive ways to get new patrons. It does not matter what you sell or what service you provide, you must get patrons. Once you get them you must meet their needs and keep them.
My sewing machine repair business began over sixteen years ago. While it has grown in many ways, it still only does three basic things: Attract, Service, and Retain Customers. My customers are my sustenance.
The first challenge for your business is getting customers. While you can spend thousands of dollars advertising to attract clients, there is a far better way. Simply, the better way is to let others do your advertising for you. One patron attracts another. While it may sound simple, it is often a bit challenging.
This approach can be described as leveraging your promotional efforts. Letting others help you promote your business does not mean that you never need to spend dollars on advertising, but it does mean you can get more results from the money and time you spend.
Step one, just ask. Yes, you can just ask your satisfied patrons to give you the names and information of all their friends that might be interested in your services. You can even bribe them for their referrals. Once you get the names, you reach out to them with special offers to become your patrons.
Unfortunately, customers seldom appreciate being hounded to reveal the names of their friends. Asking is often difficult and if not done regularly fails to produce effectively. Tracking and following up referrals is a lot of work.
A home based repair business depends on customers feeling neighborly and welcome, but not pressured. I got a few traditional referrals, but then I discovered a slight variation that really worked great. I printed up 500 GIFT CERTIFICATES for $5 each. When I completed a sewing machine service, I included a stack of five gift certificates. I explained, if you will sign your name where is says Authorized By, I will credit you for $5 every time one of these gift certificates is redeemed by one of your friends. That way their next service could possibly even be free. I also told them that if they needed more certificates, I had plenty and they were free.
Always work to set up win win situations. If your current client wins, and your new patron wins, and you win; everyone is happy. Be ready to answer the key question, how do I win from this deal?
You can also tap into other peoples networks or spheres of influence enabling them to promote your business. You can offer brief seminars or demonstrations for sewing clubs, quilt guilds, and crafting groups. You can connect with various womens groups at churches, libraries, or wherever people gather. Everybody loves receiving gifts. So, give away gift certificates, personalized seam rippers, anything you think might attract interest, get people talking, and encourage others to sell your business for you. When people feel good about something, they talk about it.
Other businesses are often ready to help you. You can do joint ventures where non competing business people distribute your information for you and you do the same for them. You can hand out items to your clients, send letters of endorsement, distribute gift certificates, and much more. When you get several other businesses promoting you to their customers everybody wins.
Is there a Walmart, Hobby Lobby, Target, or other department store in your town that sells products whose owners might need your help. Say they sell a $149 sewing machine. Where does that new owner find instruction or repair services? Why not you? Let all the workers know who you are. Get them to pass out your business cards, give away gift certificates, or otherwise make referrals for you.
As a sewing machine repairman, I have discovered a great way to let others promote me. I made a list of all the quilt shops and fabric shops in my area. I contacted the owners and explained what I do. I offered to pay them to help their customers by allowing them to conveniently drop off their sewing machines at their shop for sewing machine service. Once a week, I stop and pick up the machines. It may be one or five, it does not matter. I service and repair the machines and return them. I pay the shop $5 and charge the patron $95. The shop collects for me.
Not only is marketing through other people much less expensive than traditional advertising, it is far more productive. Traditional advertising might cost you $1,000 per customer, while the approaches here would only cost $5 to $25 per client. Remember, every sewing machine needs service at least once a year and more often is recommended. - 15634
Do you want a real business? Then you must find the fastest, most reliable, and least expensive ways to get new patrons. It does not matter what you sell or what service you provide, you must get patrons. Once you get them you must meet their needs and keep them.
My sewing machine repair business began over sixteen years ago. While it has grown in many ways, it still only does three basic things: Attract, Service, and Retain Customers. My customers are my sustenance.
The first challenge for your business is getting customers. While you can spend thousands of dollars advertising to attract clients, there is a far better way. Simply, the better way is to let others do your advertising for you. One patron attracts another. While it may sound simple, it is often a bit challenging.
This approach can be described as leveraging your promotional efforts. Letting others help you promote your business does not mean that you never need to spend dollars on advertising, but it does mean you can get more results from the money and time you spend.
Step one, just ask. Yes, you can just ask your satisfied patrons to give you the names and information of all their friends that might be interested in your services. You can even bribe them for their referrals. Once you get the names, you reach out to them with special offers to become your patrons.
Unfortunately, customers seldom appreciate being hounded to reveal the names of their friends. Asking is often difficult and if not done regularly fails to produce effectively. Tracking and following up referrals is a lot of work.
A home based repair business depends on customers feeling neighborly and welcome, but not pressured. I got a few traditional referrals, but then I discovered a slight variation that really worked great. I printed up 500 GIFT CERTIFICATES for $5 each. When I completed a sewing machine service, I included a stack of five gift certificates. I explained, if you will sign your name where is says Authorized By, I will credit you for $5 every time one of these gift certificates is redeemed by one of your friends. That way their next service could possibly even be free. I also told them that if they needed more certificates, I had plenty and they were free.
Always work to set up win win situations. If your current client wins, and your new patron wins, and you win; everyone is happy. Be ready to answer the key question, how do I win from this deal?
You can also tap into other peoples networks or spheres of influence enabling them to promote your business. You can offer brief seminars or demonstrations for sewing clubs, quilt guilds, and crafting groups. You can connect with various womens groups at churches, libraries, or wherever people gather. Everybody loves receiving gifts. So, give away gift certificates, personalized seam rippers, anything you think might attract interest, get people talking, and encourage others to sell your business for you. When people feel good about something, they talk about it.
Other businesses are often ready to help you. You can do joint ventures where non competing business people distribute your information for you and you do the same for them. You can hand out items to your clients, send letters of endorsement, distribute gift certificates, and much more. When you get several other businesses promoting you to their customers everybody wins.
Is there a Walmart, Hobby Lobby, Target, or other department store in your town that sells products whose owners might need your help. Say they sell a $149 sewing machine. Where does that new owner find instruction or repair services? Why not you? Let all the workers know who you are. Get them to pass out your business cards, give away gift certificates, or otherwise make referrals for you.
As a sewing machine repairman, I have discovered a great way to let others promote me. I made a list of all the quilt shops and fabric shops in my area. I contacted the owners and explained what I do. I offered to pay them to help their customers by allowing them to conveniently drop off their sewing machines at their shop for sewing machine service. Once a week, I stop and pick up the machines. It may be one or five, it does not matter. I service and repair the machines and return them. I pay the shop $5 and charge the patron $95. The shop collects for me.
Not only is marketing through other people much less expensive than traditional advertising, it is far more productive. Traditional advertising might cost you $1,000 per customer, while the approaches here would only cost $5 to $25 per client. Remember, every sewing machine needs service at least once a year and more often is recommended. - 15634
About the Author:
Repair Expert David Trumble has produced several comprehensive courses giving sewing machine repair instructions in his expert sewing machine repair manuals. He even gives away a free beginners course.
