Why People Stop doing Business With You

People die and there’s nothing you can do about it. It’s generally only about 1% for most businesses.

People move away.  About 3% of your customers will move too far away to maintain a business practical relationship with you.  Not much you can do about that  (although it IS much easier today to keep in touch and to serve people at greater distances today).

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5% of your customers will take the advice of a friend or relative and choose another source for the product or service you provide.  There IS something you can do about that.

9% will find what they perceive as a better deal, a better product or service.  There is also something you can do about that.

14% will leave you out of plain old dissatisfaction with  you, your product, your service or an employee.

68% of the people who leave your business and never come back due to indifference.

What is indifference?

Indifference occurs when people just don’t have a feeling either way about your business, the service, the experience, the relationship.  This is ONE crucial area where you, as a small business owner have the hands-down advantage over most of your larger competitors.

A warm greeting, eye-to-eye contact,  a sincere “Nice to see you again” and a smiling “Thank You” can easily differentiate your business from others.  This is the absolute minimum I personally expect when I patronize a business and yet it’s a rare occurrence.

Making clients feel good, welcomed, valued and convenienced are critical in overcoming almost ALL these  reasons people will forget about you.  Create relationships and keep more customers.

2 ways to keep people feeling like you recognize them and care about them: (there are more, but these are cheap & easy)

  1. Send out a good, old fashioned Thank You card or Holiday Card. Hand-written is best.  If not to everyone, at least the best 20% of them.  Do everything you can to record their birthday and give a call or a card.  It’s huge (and you know it).
  2. Email.  not just emails promoting yourself and your business but some value-added and personalized emails.

About the Author Andrew Mazer

Andrew Mazer, Founder of Mazer Wholesale, Inc. established since 1986. In 1996, I began marketing my wholesale business online. In 2009, I began helping other business owners market THEIR business online. I am the author of The Business Owner's Guide to Marketing Online, The Groupon Solution, and The One Good Idea Newsletter. Contact me at Andrew@smallbusinessu.org

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