Axia’s 60-Second Impact
60 Seconds of Information Impacting You and Our Fast-Forward Economy
1. The Ultimate Prize For “Owning” Their Customers:
Apple And Nordstrom
The ultimate prize for “owning” customers goes to Apple Computer for their iPod products. Buy an iPod and you have to use iTunes to download your music. The user then usually chooses from an array of iPod home, car, and even clothing and backpack accessories. Everything has been designed to keep an iPod user “in the family,” preventing defection to other MP3 players or products.
The runner-up for “owning” their customers goes to Nordstrom. The company’s “taking care of customers” philosophy is often copied, but never duplicated, by the competition simply because Nordstrom’s employees, from the top manage-ment down, understands they’re in the “customer-caring” business, not the retail business.
2. Seven Ways To “Own” Your Customers — No Matter What Size Your Business
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Go above and beyond the customers’ expectations of service, such as offering bottled water
or champagne while waiting, free Internet access, free valet parking and free one-day delivery.
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Develop a mailing list of your customers and start a VIP club, offering them special closed-door private VIP sales. Correspond on a regular basis with those on your list.
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Celebrate your customers’ birthdays with a card and a gift certificate.
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Ask your customers for advice and feedback on service, merchandise selection and prices.
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Send a handwritten thank-you note after each sale.
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Develop a loyalty reward program, and make it easy for customers to achieve their rewards. sample giveaways, Snapple-sponsored concerts and various other Snapple-oriented events.
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Have the store owner personally meet and get to know the customers.
3. Ending Summer With A Smile Or A Sunburn: Bikinis With UV Alarms
A Canadian swimwear company has introduced a new line of bikinis that includes a built-in warning system alerting the wearer to get out of the sun and head for some shade.
The bikini includes an electronic UV meter built into its belt that beeps when the sun’s UV levels are too high.
As the bikini turns 60 years old, it provides a lesson: It’s never too late to go electronic.
4. The 60 Second Close: The Courage to Change
If the objective of your company is to sell clothes, sporting goods, trips, furniture or anything at all, then you’re leaving your customer wide open to one-night stands — here today, gone tomorrow. Change your philosophy to embrace the customer and develop a program to “own” them. Only then will you have a loyal, lifetime customer base, and you’ll actually be able to sell more. Need help on “owning” your customer base? Want to change your business philosophy? Call us. We’re more than an ad agency ... we’re an “add” agency.
AUGUST 2006 TIP
Improve Your Website
Your company's web site is the one your most important marketing tools. But the site is only effective when it's kept up to date and provides helpful information. Create a successful web site by using six tips listed on our web site, axiapr.com.
Best Wishes,
Jason Mudd, APR
Axia Public Relations
Topics: online public relations, 60-Second Impact
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