If you do your homework, develop a plan and stick with it, developing a steady flow of customers is one of the easiest and most enjoyable aspects of running a business. Nothing is more satisfying than a happy customer and nothing is better for your business growth than a happy customer who gives you repeat business.
Gaining repeat business requires simple follow-up through telephone calls, referral discounts and customer reminder cards.
After you have exceeded your customers expectations, and created an amazing scrapbook to hold and feature their most precious memories, offering them a special discount on their next one should be a slam-dunk sale.
Also, offering them a discount if they give you a profitable referral is another tool in your chest to gain repeat and new customers. If you are just getting started and need to develop a client base, possibly a home party where the hostess/ host gets a free scrapbook based on the amount of orders you receive at the party. Home parties are a good client base development idea.
Keeping records of your customers, and following up on prospective customers is key to keeping your business thriving. After you have developed your business schedule make sure you set aside time to promote your business and follow-up on past clients. You can send them reminder cards that feature your monthly special, your current referral discount or your holiday discount. Contacting them says, �Hey I am here� and places your business at the front of their mind.
CUSTOMER CARDS
Make customer cards for your current customers. A client information card can be a lifesaver and will also allow you quickly review your clients information when they contact you. For instance when your client calls your for another scrapbook you can pull their customer card to and review what they selected last time.
They may or may not be able to effectively describe the work you did for them in the past, but with a customer card you can easily see what your customers expectations are. If they say, � I want you to make something similar to what you did last time,� you will immediately be able to create another awesome scrapbook for them.
PLACE AN AD
Placing an ad in a local news rag might be a good idea, if you have the financial resources to do it. The ad should feature your logo, your basic services and your current �special.� If you receive a client via this method, then it might be worth your investment to advertise again.
If you do not receive clients with this method you may need to look at other methods of gaining business. There is nothing wrong with researching other scrapbooking artists and determining how they develop their customer base. You might even want to call another successful scrapbooking artist to speak with them about their customer development process.