1. In Gathering a Customer Database Why What And How To’s

2. Why Gather A Customer Database? Why? The hardest part of business is getting the customers in the door. Once they purchase something, consider collecting their contact information in order to let them know of upcoming sales, changes in the business, new promotions etc.

3. What? Information you would want to gather: Name Phone Number Address Email Special Interests Important Dates; birthday, anniversary… How they heard about you.

4. How? Have them fill out information on a form. Design an online survey and mention it on the bottom of your register receipt. Gather the information at the time of sale. You can do this a number of ways

5. Names? You can easily personalize your letters to the customer. Emails? Easily email your customers with information about your business. Addresses? If they don’t have an email address you can easily send them flyers on special promotions. Special dates? Email them reminders or well wishes regarding their birthday or anniversary. Special interests? Keep track of services or products they are interested in. Contact them when you start offering these special items. How they heard about my business? You can easily track how your advertising is working for you. Also track people or businesses that are referring your company. Possibly offer a Thank You gift to those that meet a minimum referral number, or just send an email thanking them for the referral. Why Collect……

6. Let your customers know about a special promotion, extended hours, special events, new product line, new business location or even to remind a customer of an upcoming birthday, anniversary or holiday With this information you will be able to directly promote to your customers. Let Your Customers Know…

7. Once you have obtained contact information for your customers, you would gather this information into a database, or simply use a program such as Microsoft Excel, which is a spreadsheet. Organizing Data Collected

8. You may first do an email letter, sending to only the people that have email addresses. You may then do a letter to mail, sending to only the people that DO NOT have emails. This saves the cost of postage. How to contact customers

9. Open Microsoft Word Click on Tools Click on Mail Merge Microsoft Word

10. Click on option you are wanting to merge; letters, labels, emails… Follow wizard instructions. Merging

11. Wizard The wizard will assist you with letters, labels, emails ect. During the wizard you may design your message The wizard ties into the Excel Spreadsheet you designed. Be sure at the end of the Wizard to include the reason for your email in in the Subject Line If you decide to do your emails through Outlook, be sure to BCC (Blind Carbon Copy), so others do not see all the email addresses sent. Be sure to include in your template, the Unsubscribe/Opt-Out options.

12. Helpful Tips # 1 Send out emails first, mailing out only to those customers without emails to save on postage. # 2 Do not send them out too often. Remember your inbox…do you read those emails that come in every single day? No. You want your customer to be excited to receive information from you. # 3 Use photos, your logo. #4 Consider having them print off email or add a printable coupon to the email for customers to receive discounts, or receive a small free item.

13. Be sure to view other Marketing Tips How to make a brochure How to send personalized emails and letters on a budget Community Orientation This information is provided as a courtesy of the Pulaski County Tourism Bureau BWiles 08 Other Marketing Tips