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How a Small Business can Build a Customer Base
Building a solid customer base is a necessity of any smallbusiness. Often times these smaller businesses cannot competeeffectively with larger companies in terms of resources. Forexample, Tom's mini-Mart is not going to be a match for FarmerJack's Grocery Chain. The later will beat them in parking,prices and variety every time! Therefore, there must besometh...
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ing more than just price to attract and retain customers.The good news is that many small businesses have benefits thatlarger companies don't have. They thrive in the realm of the"something else" that larger companies simply can't accommodate. The first step in building a customer base is to define whoyour customer is. This is called a psychological profile. Take apiece of paper and write down the qualities that many of yourcustomers have. Make sure to include hobbies, personality,income, employment states, distance from store, etc. Then gothrough and circle the qualities that seem to fit the majorityof your customers the best. The next step is to use the psychological profile to develop amarketing plan on how to reach your population in the most costeffective manner. For example, if many of your customers livewithin the same neighborhood, have children engaged in lo...
...calsports and are pressed for time then your marketing plan shouldtry and appeal to them. You may decide to stop by the localbaseball game and give away free drinks, offer local delivery,give discounts for family members, or send flyers door-to-door. Once you know who your customer is and how to reach them youmust determine how to write your advertisements. For our busyneighborhood consider the following, "Mom's we know you arebusy. That's why Tom's mini-Mart wants to give you a break. Callus and we will deliver your supper groceries in less than 30minutes. If you don't feel like cooking, then we will send you afamily size delicious homemade meal fresh from our delidepartment." The object is to write the advertisement so that ithelps solve the problems of people in your market. If it makesthem feel sad, happy or more convenient then you have done well.Small businesses can compete because they are more convenient.Many times customers avoid large chains because they take somuch time to navigate. Small business also has the ability totruly give good customer service. If you are unsure of how tomaximize your marketing efforts then hire a good small-businessconsultant that charges reasonable fees....
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