From a small shop in your colony to a large-scale business or a firm in your town, the concerned owner’s target is to set a good consumer base. In the current scenario, where the competition amongst markets worldwide is rising rapidly and touching the sky in every imaginable field, attracting a good consumer base and maintaining their consistency is the foremost requirement for the firm’s reputation and growth. Be it face to face or on a social platform, how you interact with the potential customer matters.
Who are the Potential Customers?
Potential customers are the ones who are capable of becoming a purchaser of products or services from an organisation—basically, the customers who are most likely to buy from a particular shop or organisation.
What is the Difference Between a Customer and a Potential Customer?
A customer is the one who is already using your products and services, whereas a potential customer is the one who is not using your product, but there is a very fair chance that they may use it. E.g., someone has shifted on rent in your house, you take milk from a particular shop then there is a very good chance of him to purchase from that shop only. He will be defined as a potential customer.
Why are Potential Customers so Important?
It is a fact that if there are no customers, there is no business. If a company’s resources are comparable to the plant’s root, then the customers are fruits on it. If a company or even a small vegetable seller has no one to buy them, everything is waste. Undeniably consumers are a crucial and vital part of a business. Let’s talk about the potential customers who are the ones who are not a purchaser already, but there are fair chances of them to be. They can undoubtedly make a difference and make you stand above in the competitive market.
The two most important factors in running a business are:
1. Customer Satisfaction
It is a factor that determines how happy a customer is with the company products and services. This is for both the existing and potential customers.
2. Customer Retention
It is defined as the ability of a company to retain its customers. In this competitive scenario customer retention is an important factor for the development of a firm. Making a customer is not a big issue, but maintaining consistency with him/her is an important factor that makes a good organisation stand differently.
How to Interact with Potential Customers?
Imagine yourself in a shop to purchase a bag. In the first case, the bags are hanged on hangers, and you are allowed to roam and see the bags yourself and purchase one. In the second case, you are greeted with a namaste or a hello from the shopkeeper, and then he asks you about what type of bag you want, the colour, brand, etc. and shows you each type. From which one of the above shops would you return happy?
Everyone of us will choose the second one because the shopkeeper’s efforts to make a customer happy are counted.
This was a very small example.
Even in big industries, corporations, shops, the way you interact with the potential customer is important. As they are new to your organisation along with your products and services, you must put in every effort to make them happy and maintain the same consistency always.
While interacting with a potential customer face to face, you must remember the following points:
1. Listen first and then speak: Listening first instead of directly jumping into the conversation and analysing what the customer wants to say is really important for effective communication. Listen to the customer and identify his or her needs and expectations.
2. Make a note of his needs or queries: This will help you to connect to the customer more. If you forget anything related to the customer’s needs, your notes will help you, and the customer will also appreciate you keeping all the data and remembering the smallest of details of his requirements.
3. Ask questions regarding their needs: To have an effective interaction, ask questions regarding what they want so you can properly analyse and understand their query and answer or provide them with the best solution for their needs.
4. Have an open conversation: Don’t let the customer hesitate and keep an open and soft conversation with them. If you find the consumer going in the wrong direction, bring him on the right path as you intend to sell the best product that satisfies his or her needs in the best way.
5. Develop trust in the customer: The image of a company lies in its employees’ hands. It is really important to make the consumer feel comfortable and gain their confidence and trust. These two are the building blocks of the consumer base.
6. Have a proper ending: Even when their query or need is satisfied, ask them if they face any issue regarding your services, they must feel free to contact you again. This develops confidence in the mind of a customer for a company.
7. Ask for feedback and work on it: Asking for feedback is very important. It will let you know if a customer is happy or sad with your services. In case there is negative feedback, don’t forget to work on it.
8. Ask their Email ID or phone no: Also, take their contact so that if they are not able to contact you in case the conversation breaks in between, you can contact them to continue the conversation again. If they try to contact you always reply to them or pick up their phone. It will make you more reliable in their eyes.
While interacting with a customer on a social platform, remember the following things:
1. Be consistent: If you are using a social platform to promote a product or service, consistency plays a vital role. Post regularly.
2. Reply: Replying your customers will help you gain their confidence and feel more connected.
3. Accept negative feedback and criticism: Sometimes, you may get negative feedback from people but instead of pissing off, use them in a positive way. Make a note of them and do whatever is needed to convert that feedback into a positive. Slowly and gradually, the number of positive feedbacks will be in a large number with negligible negative ones.
4. Contact them through email or phone: If you find a customer potential, but he or she is not able to trust somehow, then contact them and gain their confidence. Avoid repetitive contact.
5. Publish actual reviews: Reviews of a customer who has already purchased your product are important. Publish them on your website. It makes a purchaser more confident to buy or get services from you.
Consumers are the building blocks of reputation and profit of an organisation. Be genuine to your potential customers. This will help you raise customer retention in your organisation for the present and the future. Be transparent to the customers, listen to them patiently and provide them with the best service or product. Also, never hesitate to provide the best services to your existing and potential customers. Every effort that the owner and employees of a company make for their customer will count in your organisation’s progress.
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5) How To Start A Stationery Business?