Most small businesses spend what they can afford to attract new clients and do not spend much or any of their budgets on solidifying their relationships with their current customers.

All the Business Owners I have talked to tell me that if they track the results of their advertising at all, their results are always poor.  That’s no surprise because they are experts at their specific business, not at marketing.

As small business owners, we all know it makes sense to keep in touch with our customers but who has the time to call all their customers every month or even every quarter?

Now, the same online technology that is allowing people to google a hundred businesses and, at times, cut into your business will actually benefit you.  It can allow you to automate building personal relationships with your customers!  But before discussing the technology, let’s explain how it will build your business for you without spending any money on advertising.

It’s all about customer relationship marketing.  You may have heard of customer relationship marketing but not have been really clear what that means or how to do it.  The goal of relationship marketing is threefold:

1.          It will build increased trust and friendship with your network of customers, prospects and acquaintances. 

2.          It will allow you to provide “WOW” service.  “WOW” service is so far outside the norm, that customers will go out of their way to tell their friends about you.  These days, a business that keeps in close, personal touch with their clients is that kind of business.

3.          The result of these first two is that your customers will think of you very differently.  Instead of saying to a friend I know “a business” they will say, “call my preferred business”.  This is a subtle difference in wording but a world of difference in meaning.