Understanding Your Customer Jill Beasant

To look at ways to improve your business in terms of The products you stock The promotions you run The environment you create The service you provide Workshop Objectives

Workshop Content Marketing Promotions Customer Care Store Environment

What Is Marketing? Marketing is about understanding Who your customers are Where they can be found What they want How much they will pay for what they want

Ten Fundamentals Of Marketing 1.Improving Profit Performance (Not Sales). 2.Understanding Customer Needs. 3.Seeking Customer Satisfaction As A Central Value. 4. Well Focused Target Markets 5. Delivering Product / Service Packages Designed For Target Markets

Ten Fundamentals Of Marketing 6.Integrating All Company Activity Around The Customer, 7.Planning ahead 8.Building On Strengths And Facing Deficiencies. 9.Hiring Quality People And Investing In Them. 10.Knowledge Of Your Market / Customers

Market Research The systematic gathering, recording and analysing of data about problems relating to the marketing of goods and services.

Improving Performance Four rules Sell to new customers Sell more in each transaction Persuade existing customers to return more often Improve margins by cutting overheads and improving sales quality

The Questions Chain Who wants to shop at a store like mine? What is it that they like about us? Which products excite them? What promotions do they like? Where can I find these people? What should I tell them?

Promotions Planner Sheet of paper for the year Write down all the things you can predict will be happening - Jan sale etc Write down all the predictable ‘quiet times’ Write down all the predictable ‘busy times’ New product launches you know about Major events with good promotion links

Promotions Planner You will be able to see Dead zones – where you can plan to strengthen and promote the business Busy times – where you will avoid promotions

Keeping Track/ Measurement Any direct activity needs to be made measurable Add coded coupons to any printed materials Ask customers to quote a reference code Record the number of responses, value of purchase and margin earned Calculate the total profit from promotion Deduct costs

Priorities Make the best of every customer who walks in – this is always your first priority

Great Customer Service A pre-requisite for survival Service quality should be the basis for every decision you make – processes, staff recruitment, promotions, or events

Great Customer Service Improved team satisfaction = Improved service quality Rewards and bonus schemes based on customer satisfaction helps the team to make the link between how they look after their customers and what goes into their pockets

Great Customer Service Feedback –Mystery Shopping Create a customer complaint process which makes it easy for your customers to complain Give customers quality surveys they can fill in and send back to you. Customer complaints are free market research Behind most complaints is a truth that can help you make your business better.

Why Invest In Customer Care  Longstanding Customers Spend More On Average Than Newer, More Cautious Customers  Retained Customers Take A Lot Less Marketing Effort (Sales Force, Advertising, Special Introductory Offers etc) Than Winning New Customers

Why Invest In Customer Care  Satisfied Customers Are Your Best Sales Force – They Make The Task Of Turning “Prospects” Into “Certainties” A Bit Easier  Selling More And Costing Less Will Have Obvious Benefits On The Bottom Line

Building Customer Retention  Sell More Than A Product – Understand And Solve Customer Problems  Be A Partner Not A Supplier – Work With Customers.  Understand How Your Customers Use Your Product And Service.