Page 168 - 101 Ways to Market Your Business

DOES YOUR BUSINESS HAVE CREDIBILITY?

72 Don’t underestimate the intelligence of your
customers

This is a mistake that I see some businesses making on a
regular basis. They tend to assume that their customers are
stupid. I think this is a very dangerous assumption to make.
After all, we are all consumers and I don’t know about you
but I certainly don’t feel stupid.

Some business operators tend to feel they can say
anything or make any offer and their customers will come
running in the door. That may have been the case a few
years ago but now competition is increasing so dramatically
that the consumers have the upper hand.

People spend a lot of time shopping and buying things
in general. They know that certain stores have sales on a
regular basis and some places are more expensive than
others. They also know that if they don’t get what they
want from one particular business they can take their credit
card and go somewhere else.

I believe you should consider customers to be identical
to you. How do you like to be treated? What type of
discount do you look for when you are bargain hunting?
How do you want to be treated if you have a complaint?
One of the best ways to upset a customer is to sell them
something at full price the day before your 30 per cent
storewide sale. We have all experienced this and I don’t
know about you but I find it very frustrating.

If you find that your business has developed an almost
cynical approach to the customers that pay your bills,
maybe it is time to rethink your business philosophy. Even
if you have the right attitude, make sure that staff appre-
ciate both the intelligence and the importance of your
customers.

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