Wednesday, July 11, 2007

HOW TO DIFFERENTIATE YOURSELF? 1 customer at a time!


19,200,000 that's the number when I google 'promotional products' even if I narrow it down to Vancouver BC 945,000.


How do I differentiate myself? How do I build a data base of customers? A clientel list?


Well the best way is to start with 1 customer and do a good job. If that works, we do the same for the next customer. Hopefully my customers will actually mention my name to other prospects and they could become customers.


The ball is rolling now so don't get in the way. Be a part of the prospects solution and they will become customers too.


Look after them all. We used to have a little poem


Winter, Summer, Spring and Fall,

Big or Small, we look after them all.


Well it's not shakespeare but you get the idea.


Look after the small orders and the big ones will surely follow. Then when you get big, remember who got you there. Still look after those pesky small orders. That's where you really help the client.


-Take care of the clients needs.

-Make it easy for the client to deal with you.

-Be up front and tell the client what you're doing.

-People dealing with People.


So when does it change from customer to client? Good question.



I think the customer evolved from being a prospect and then they finally bought something and became the customer.


Then a funny thing happens. You get to know the people you're dealing with and they get to know you and comes an intra-trust between you and your customer which I believe brings about the feeling and change from customer to client.


In the same way I think the client will no longer think of you a supplier but as 'our promotional products company'.


PROSPECT - CUSTOMER - CLIENT = Clientel List


Always keep the pipeline full of propects so the customers can find you and the clients evolve.


Easy? No but it will happen with some steady effort on your part.

I'm Rod Winning
At http://www.winningfairways.com/ we try to do all the above. It's working. Please check us out and put us on your list to be your "promotional products company".

rod-fairways@hotmail.com