Manual Twenty-Three- Legendary Loyalty – Customer Retention

           The last key to a great customer service program is a loyalty program. In this manual, you will learn why most customer loyalty programs don’t really work and how to design one for your business that does!

           By this stage in the system you now have a plan for generating more leads and for converting more leads to sales. Now let’s look at the final piece of the puzzle: turning occasional clients into loyal customers. Customer loyalty is a buzzword in the increasingly competitive business world. Businesses are rightly taking a look at their existing clients and trying to figure out how to stop them from going elsewhere.

           The problem is that most businesses start their “loyalty programs” by offering discounts to their best customers.  Think about that.  They offer their very best customers discounts for showing up!  Let’s use a restaurant analogy.  My favorite restaurant is the Vintage on 5th. I spend over $1,000 there every single month. If the restaurant decided to start a loyalty program and give me a 10% discount, I’m not going to show up any more than I do now.  The restaurant will lose $1,200 a year in revenue!

           I am a loyal customer because the food is good, the atmosphere friendly, the owner greets me by name and makes a big deal every time I walk in the door. On top of that, I know I can always get a table no matter how busy it is.  In other words, I am treated like a special customer and am therefore, a loyal customer.

           Now let’s suppose I received an occasional bottle of wine as a gift, or was occasionally invited to a special wine and cheese tasting. These programs would reinforce my special status (and I’d probably buy a case of wine at the tasting just for the invitation.)The point is simple. YOU DO NOT BUY LOYALTY WITH DISCOUNTS! You can buy business with discounts but you cannot buy loyalty! You buy loyalty with special service, small gifts and personal attention.

In this manual, you will learn:

• How to identify your best customers. 
• How to let clients tell you what would make them feel special. 
• How to outsmart your competition, steal customers and make them loyal to your business.
• How to turn your customers into evangelists for your business. 
• How to keep in touch with special customers in ways that aren’t pushy. 
• How to turn a few letters and cards into GOLD!