Entrepreneur Secrets: How to retain clients for life
March 27, 2017
By Jerry Bellune
Ever heard of a business continuity program?
They are to business what members are to churches.
Clients become loyal when you build trust with them. Loyal clients buy more from you more often.
They listen to and heed the advice you give them.
They provide a steady cash flow for your business.
Our friend Ruth King says they are an asset when:
- You sell your business to someone else.
- Pass it on to the next family generation.
You may be a member of a continuity program.
Do you belong to a health, golf or tennis club?
Do you subscribe to a newspaper or book club?
Your program can be as simple as a paid newsletter.
It could be as complex as a maintenance program.
Why start a continuity program?
Because it will bond clients to your business.
Look at your repetitive services and products.
Your customers may use them every day.
Save them the hassle of reordering .
Automatically ship the items as often as needed.
This lets customers always use your products only.
Give them benefits for being your member.
Those only buying your product once don’t get these.
Offer price discounts. Priority service. Free shipping.
Amazon Prime is a good example of this.
How to start your own membership program:
- Figure out what your average clients spend a year.
Offer annual memberships at that rate.
You can have ascending tiers with more benefits.
Say your client spends $200 a year with you.
Offer them a $200 Silver Tier with extra benefits.
That assures you they will invest at least $200.
Plus they will receive value they did not get before.
Bigger clients qualify for higher tiers and benefits.
A client can qualify to move up to Silver plus for $400.
They get what they spent $400 on plus extra benefits.
It’s a good deal for both of you.
Special offer for MidlandsBiz.com readers:
A free one-year Marketing Ad-Visor subscription.
This is a $49-a-year value with my compliments.
It gives you business-building ideas every issue.
Call Ashley or Rose for details at 359-7633.
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©2017 The Bellune Company, Inc
Neither MidlandsBiz.com nor The Bellune Company, Inc. makes any warranty as to the results that may be achieved from using this information. ©2015 The Bellune Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Requests for permission to reprint or circulate may be obtained by emailing [email protected]
