How can i attract and retain long term customers?

[altwebdesign]

by this i mean a client that can offer at least 5 hours solid work a week. My line of work is pretty unstable and always up and down, i was thinknig of offering 50% off my hourly rate ($50/£30) for those who can send at least 5 hours of work my way for a longer period of time. Does that sound sustainable?

[Mega B]

As you are a web designer do you have any of your sites apart from say the design website,this may spread the load a little to reduce the total dependance on one source of income.On my website side of my business i have nearly 3i0 websites and other business interests so if one side slows down i still have revenue coming in from other areas.

This is only a suggestion but prehaps you have some other websites.

[altwebdesign]

As you are a web designer do you have any of your sites apart from say the design website,this may spread the load a little to reduce the total dependance on one source of income.On my website side of my business i have nearly 3i0 websites and other business interests so if one side slows down i still have revenue coming in from other areas.

This is only a suggestion but prehaps you have some other websites.

i've had people say this, but i've never actually created a website for myself, i take it when you say other websites, im guessing something like a niche blog, maybe selling a ebook or some sort of product?
Can you share with me some of your url's ?

[bostoncitymass]

Hi,
I'm not a web designer, but my industry depends on my clients re ordering and coming back, so I have to constantly look for clients that will be in for the long haul. To be honest there is no magic bullet to finding them. You just need to keep prospecting, keep prospecting, keep prospecting. Offering promotions and such will certainly help but you have to keep your "sales funnel" full at all times. I have seen many companies crash and burn in the blink of an eye because they had 5 or 6 "long term customers" and depended on them for work, then one day one of the customers leaves and that person just lost a huge chunk of their business. So never assume that your customers are going to be long term, they can switch vendors at any time. So when we get a great client that is keeping us busy, I still make sure I am always looking for new clients to add to the company.

[guidemesingapore]

Well most web designers I know try to get referrals from existing clients. Its the best way to continue getting projects every week as web design clients usually do not need repeat services that often.

[ServiceBizBoost]

Good and quality service to your customers. This will help you to get continuous business.

[dfveteran]

Here is a cut from my home business blog about how to get and keep repeat customers.

Giving your customer extras benefits or items free of charge. Kind of like when you go to your bank. Sometimes you might see items like coffee cups or calendars free of charge. The bank is at least trying to make an effort to thank their customers. You even see gifts for starting an account with them. Where else do you see this now a days? Not many places do this anymore.

It might not seem like much, but it really makes a difference to your customers to get free items once and a while. Customers can appreciate when anyone takes their money for a product or service and gives them something back for free.

How often do you hear about anyone getting, two mp3 players, for the price of one, because the first mp3 player they ordered was the wrong one? How come when your garage mis-diagnoses your car with a bad battery and its just the alternator, they give you both, you end up paying for both? How come they don’t give you the battery and make you pay for the alternator? It was their mistake. Crazy? Not if you want your customer to come back.

In reality, most places won’t do such things. What have you got to lose in an online world though? If you are the website who gave the customer a free mp3 player because it wasn’t the one they ordered. You can bet that customer will be back, and you just found yourself a regular customer. Plus they will tell all their friends. Yeah, not everyone can afford 30 or 40 bucks to give out free MP3 players, but its just an example.

If you were the garage and said, “we misdiagnosed your car: the problem was the alternator, so we threw the battery in free or charge”. The garage owner or manager just reassured, the customer will return now. Even if they were already a repeat customer.

Nine times out of ten, that repeat customer will pay for their free gift over and over again anyway. Repeat customers account for 80% of your business.

If you reassure the customer they won’t get ripped off, they will always come back. Both sides win in the long run. Obviously, you don’t have to give your customer free things all the time. You probably couldn’t afford it. But let them know you are there for them, not just their money.

Every situation needs a different action, to deal with that situation. I have said this before: Why make a customer pay and be inconvenienced for your mistake? If I make a mistake, I give them back, plus more.

I try and give free items & promotional events to my customers anyway. For instance, I back up my ebooks with 3 months of help, so you succeed. I don’t just sell you the e-book. I have given my storefront customers free cameras, radios, sunglasses, and many other items for free. And every one of the customers, whom I have given something to, has been back for return sales.

We have to bring consumers back to trusting small businesses. We have to! In today’s age the consumer is more likely to trust the giant monopoly company, before they will trust small business. Let’s face it, their advertisements show bigger and better things than our measly home business.

We have to change the consumer’s way of thinking. We have to gear the customer to look to small business. The big guys don’t offer what we do. We have the power to gear customers toward small business. We don’t have to play by the big guy rules. We can actually care about the consumer needs. We can be real people to them. Not just some person behind the counter, that doesn’t give a crap about you, or their job.

The money is nice, but we have to care more about the customers needs. Even if its just a follow up email or phone call, thanking the customer. Don’t just sell them your product or service and act like your not appreciative. They are putting money in your pockets, thank them.

Be courteous, prompt, and straight forward. When your parents gave you money as a kid, did you just take it, or did you thank them?
It’s common courtesy to say, “thank you” to anyone that gives you something.

I have helped tons of people, who have driven their customer base up, just by common courtesy. By not taking the customer for granted, you are showing them they they mean something to you. Respect almost always wins them back as a return customer.

Just remember, we are the little guys in small business. You have to do everything you can for your customer. You have to drive them away from big retail giants, and attract them to your business. It’s very difficult to win the customer over as a small business, without common courtesy and respect.

I just see too many small businesses, running just for the money and screwing over, every customer in their path. Are you this type of small business? Maybe this post can help you win over some customers.

[Emma47]

Hello,
There are six common mistakes that you should avoid to attract and retain long term customers.These common mistakes are :
1. Find excuses

You are not able to complete work before the deadline, then how would you deal with customer complaints and dissatisfactions? Do not look for reasons, the customer will not care how you got heavy work, they do remember that you promised to complete in a defined period but not keep faith.



2. Ignoring feedback

Most customers will not tell you their grievances, but turn to find another dealer. Keep them! Get their attention with some extra time, such as setting a private meeting, online communications , direct telephone contacts, or ask them to answer some survey questions etc.



3. Negative and slack

Is it to create a business an easy task? No matter how difficult it is, you have to keep smile. People are only willing to work with people who do business with confidence. Get rid of the vicious cycle of negative thoughts and focus on your goals as well as believe yourself. Your firm Confidence will also enable customer’s confidence to your business.



4, damage the reputation of competitors

How do you say your competitors to your customers and potential customers, they can also do the same thing.



In fact, you can answer in this way: X's products are really very good, but let me tell you why customers choose our company. And then show some customer satisfaction thanks letters to your potential customers.

Besides, it will be a good way that you praise your competitor.



5. Take customers for granted

Once you slack off, you lose. Do not take for granted that customers purchase once in your shop, they will become your lifelong customers. You should appeal consumers’ attention and make them your permanent partners. In addition, you should make customers feel as your old customers are to their advantage at any time.



6. Self-satisfied

Do not be self-satisfied with a little success. In the rapid market today, if you take things as they are, you lose. Take self-education. The deeper industry knowledge you keep, the more customers believe you, which make your company to become the first choice of consumers.


Thanks,
Emma