Reinforce Client Loyalty
With the market beginning to thaw out, everyone is out looking for new business. And, that's good—except when the competition wants to expand by stealing your customers. There are local printers, quick printers, other distributors, mail order printers and Internet printers, all hoping to take away a piece of your business.
As you make plans of your own to sign up new accounts, take a moment to think about the business you already own. Other than a holiday greeting card at the end of the year, have you made any personal contact over the past couple of months? Have you visited your top customers or at least called to keep in touch? Have you checked on their level of satisfaction with your services?
As your clients begin working on their financial statements for Uncle Sam, you can bet that they are taking a close look at last year's expenses. It is an opportune time for competitors to promise printing bill reductions.
Make no mistake—when it comes to tax time, all of the special services and extras that you threw in last year are forgotten. Printing costs are just another number on the expense sheet. It is a good time to remind clients of all of the additional sweat that goes into the maintenance of their accounts.
Perhaps you could write a few personal notes to remind clients of the care you take. Offer them something off on their next order, or a special deal on products they do not currently order.
Keeping in touch with your valuable customers is just good business.
Bill Drennan
Editorial Director
bdrennan@napco.com