by Tatiana Velitchkov
Say you've established trust with your prospects, and Later they turned into satisfied customers, and now you're But a few months/years later they turn to you and suddenly "I'm starting to need new features on this product." What if what they're asking for is really something you're Do you just tell them "I'm sorry, but we can't offer that Or do you realize that it's much easier to keep these There are no hard & fast rules for answering this kind of It's called the CUSTOMER GROWTH PHENOMENON -- and if you Evolving Customers = Evolving Needs While their clients are young and have generally moderate In the same spirit of customer retention, soft drink The fact is, these businesses owners know that marketing They have seen the big picture, and have taken the necessary THEY have adapted to the customer growth phenomenon -- and Rise To The Challenge 1) Add new features. 2) Create an enhanced design. Whether you're talking about computer casing, or food - different age groups have different design preferences
they've initially bought and used your products.
developing wonderfully long-term business relationships
with them.
say,
OR
"I need something done, and although I know you don't
usually do it I think it's within your expertise, so I was
hoping you could be the one to do it for me."
not ready to offer yet? And what if they reach the point
where they badly need it NOW, and are forced to make a
choice between staying with you and going somewhere else?
right now." and sadly let them go?
valuable clients loyal than to spend more money attracting
new ones, and find ways to give them what they need?
question, but it's a situation most business owners will
eventually have to face.
prepare yourself early on in order to meet its challenges,
it could mean the growth & success of your business as well.
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General Motors understands that their customers inevitably
change, and so created their different car models to adjust
to those changes.
incomes, GM offers them the sturdy & reliable Chevrolet.
But as these consumers grow older and get better jobs, GM
capitalizes on the trust they already established by
offering them the performance-driven (and more expensive)
Pontiac. A few more years later GM assumes they have
climbed the corporate ladder and feel deserving of a
well-earned break… so they use their same established
relationship to sell them on the luxuries of the
high-priced Cadillac.
manufacturers have come up with low-calorie diet versions
of their products, while breakfast cereal manufacturers
created the executive "power breakfast bars."
isn't just about getting new clients to notice them and buy
their products ONCE.
steps to get existing clients to KEEP ON BUYING their
products -- and even encourage inactive customers to come
out of the woodwork buy from them AGAIN.
there's no reason why you shouldn't do the same, too.
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The simplest way to meet changing client needs usually
involves just 3 adjustments to your product/service:
Listen for what their new needs are, then study your
product closely. Most of the time, you'll find that you
only really need one or two new features to improve what's
already there, and make it enough to satisfy most clients.
Sometimes it's not so much how a product works, but how a
product LOOKS that makes clients decide they want something
"new."
packaging, or how cute the icons are in your program's
taskbar, remember that:
- changing trends & lifestyles require properly-designed
products
- and people will always have a basic need to express
their individuality & stand out -- and they often do
so through the products they use most often.
3) Increase the range of selection & availability. Although the decision to change or grow seems intimidating Decide to GROW 1) They (or their business) have recently grown because So don't be afraid to change, and dare to go where no Whether you end up creating a new product or just retaining © Tatiana Velitchkov About the Author
Tatiana is the publisher of: www.TheFortunesEzine.com,
Add new flavors. Create different-sized packages. Make
your products available as downloads AND as deliverable CDs.
Or enlist your business partners' help so they'll make your
services available on their sites, too.
at first, breaking them down into smaller steps of
adjustment makes them more manageable -- and more
affordable -- to execute and control.
--------------
The moment clients increase or change their expectations
of your product, it often means 2 good things:
of you, and
2) Their increased expectations often signal an increase
in purchasing power, making them more financially able
to do MORE business with you.
entrepreneur in your position has ever gone before.
a valuable client, it can only mean BETTER things for you &
your business, too.
the FortunesEzineWeekly at www.TakeYourFortune.com,
and owner of the traffic-solution slam advertising
sites www.Guaranteed-Hits.com and www.Guaranteed-Hits.net