Your small business is getting a flow of customers and that’s great, but where are they coming from? Screening your customers allows you to understand how and why they chose your business over the competitors. Asking your customers ‘œHow did you hear about our business?” or having them fill out comment cards can positively influence your business. Here are three reasons why screening your customers is important:
1. Assess your Marketing Efforts
As a small business owner you have finally took the plunge and invested time and money in some great marketing and advertising for your business. With time and money spent you want to see results–is that online marketing you’ve invested in is working? Is that billboard you paid for effective? Screening your customers will let you answer these questions.
2. Adapt to your Marketing Efforts
The feedback you get from your customers can help you determine where to best spend your money when it comes to marketing. If they saw your website or ad online, you should continue or increase your online marketing. If they came in via a referral, you should continue efforts to get more referrals. Rewarding your customers for spreading the word about your business, or an incentive for employees if they refer customers could also be beneficial in motivating employees and increasing sales. Screening your customers allows you to make the decision to spend more money on the efforts that are working and spend less on those that are not working.
3. Improve your Business Operations
If your customers are informing you that they have left another business for yours this could be very beneficial. You could then ask them why they were unhappy with your competitor. This could insure that your business does not make the same mistakes as the competitors and instead create the environment and transaction that the consumer is searching for.
Not only is screening your customers beneficial, it is very easy as well. It can be done by simply asking a question during a transaction, or including the question on a comment card that your business may already have. Still need help or some consulting? Contact Localis today!
