[LiveWise]

I have bought a franchise--an on-line bookstore with 1.5 million books, CDs, DVDs, College textbooks, and Video games. I will be opening up on Dec 1. I am wondering if there is a faster way to win people over than to just advertise and wait for them to come in. I want to start off right.

My prices will be competitive and when a person makes a purchase of any size, they will be able to download a selected audio book and e-book for free. I want to be able to grab them as customers and keep them. How do I do that when many people already do another on-line store, that has higher prices and doesn't give the added value of downloading free books.

Here is an example, there are several different pizza take-and-bake chain stores within a 5 mile radius of where I live. They all advertise fresh ingredients, fast service, great pizzas. I would recommend any of them highly. However, one seems to be struggling--despite having great pizza and lower prices. I don't understand why this pizza franchise struggles more when they are equal to or better in areas that I would think customers would care about. What chould this struggling pizza place do to keep the customers?

What grabs a customer and keeps them loyal or makes them want to return?

Natalie

[nochance]

Hi Natalie,

Pizza franchises are a good example to look at just due to the large supply in concentrated geographic areas, so having goals of relationship management with your customers should be at the fore front from the start, so increase customer satisfaction and to minimize any problems.

Next, engaging in "smarter" relationships, a company can learn customers’ preferences and develop trust. Every contact point with the customer can be seen as an chance to record information and learn preferences. Complaints and errors must be recorded, not just fixed and forgotten.

I am sure with your franchise you have managemenet support, who will have piloted the early stages before they franchised there current business model.

If you need any help just ask away, I hope I can give some sound advice, as we are in early stages of piloting our business ready for franchisee launches.

Nathan

[harrymcwealth]

I've been noticing a trend where business capture customer interest by associating with charity.

[bzboy]

Think of a slogan to use, so its gets people talking. Funny slogans work well. Because it will stick in peoples heads. thast not the only thing, but its always a good idea.

[ltressel]

For an online business, your reputation goes very far. With the ability of people to rate you, blog on you, open up a hate website that pertains to you alone, I would make sure that you have satisfied customers all the time.

I suppose, getting the traffic is on top of your to do list but make customer satisfaction just as important. If you have happy customers, they will initiate word of mouth.

LT

[chriswick]

I always start with someone or something that has or is doing the same thing for example Amazon.com do it very well, by build a big and trusted brand.

[CLICK ME!]

Many responses seem to be omitting a response to your first inquiry: What grabs a customer...? As I have found, in the initiation of an online-based company, the greatest use of resources is in creating buzz about the company. The best customer service in the world won't pay your bills if you have no customers to serve. Shove the majority of your resources into smart and inventive advertising that maximizes your dollar's worth, and then slowly move revenues into increasing customer service while word-of-mouth takes the place of the diverted advertising budget.

[deep_impression777]

For establishments such as the pizza place you mentioned, putting personal touch to the product and service and warm customer service always, always, transform customers into patrons.

FOr the pizza shop, aim to call them by name. I suggets checking up on them by phone if they havent ordered for a while.

Its the same for your online business. Make a deliberate move to show that somebody, namely you, is manning the operations in this site, and that you are a real approachable person, through emails, private messages. Talk business like a friend.

[LiveWise]

Thanks for all the ideas. I will incorporate all of these ideas. I am going to do fundraisers with schools since so many schools sell overpriced items--how great would it be to buy discounted items and raise money for your school at the same time?

Thanks!!!

[deep_impression777]

Wow that's a noble start. Keep it up and good luck!

[franchisebrief.com]

Emailing list are the key to any online business! It will allow you to re-engage people, send them customized offers/discounts and they will always have you on the top of their mind. If people receive 1 relevant newsletter from you every month, next time they need a book, they won't think of amazon, they will think of you!