One of the unique aspects of being a small business owner is that connection you have with your customers. You likely put a lot of time and energy into building those relationships. Some of them may even feel like family.
You understand that current customers are critical to your bottom line. Meeting and exceeding their expectations are especially important since it’s 5 to 25 times more expensive to acquire new customers than it is to retain existing ones.
So use those connections and the trust you’ve established and build on it to increase your sales.
Whether you’re a neighborhood hardware store trying to differentiate yourself from the big box stores or an independent drugstore looking for ideas to increase pharmacy sales, it is important to look to your existing customer base first.
Here’s how to do it.
1.  Show Gratitude
Here’s where a small business can really differentiate itself from larger competitors. For you, your customers aren’t just a number, they are individual relationships. Ensure each customer feels valued, and they’ll keep coming back.
Whether it is through establishing creative loyalty programs, sending handwritten thank-you notes, or a periodic phone call, show them how much you appreciate their business. The big guys can’t do that.
2.  Think Outside the Box
As a small business you’re more agile than your larger competitors. You can experiment with new ideas and services without waiting for direction from the corporate office. So think outside the box. Imagine ways to eliminate hassles that are typically associated with doing business, and make it easy for customers to do business with you.
3.  Be a Resource
Build on already established connections and take the opportunity to get to know them even better. What are their needs? What are their frustrations? Could you provide additional services and products so they can avoid trips to a competitor? If not, show them you care about solving their problems regardless by finding out where they can get what you can’t provide.
4.  Promote Each Other
Because you’ve made the effort to learn about your customers, you know which folks also run businesses. So whenever possible, patronize theirs and promote them at every opportunity—just as you’d hope they’d do for you.
Closing Thoughts
The key to a small business owner’s success is in relationships. Nurture each individually and you’ll ensure a steady, dependable source of repeat business—not to mention referrals.
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