Reaching Out

I often meet with owners of small- and medium-sized car-care businesses who feel like they have reached a business plateau in their communities. These entrepreneurs confess that they have successfully established a steady stream of business, but can’t seem to draw additional customers to their facilities. These operators also worry about the level of loyalty among their customers and look for new and innovative ways to encourage repeat business. But most car-care business owners are wary of committing to excessive advertising expenditures that may or may not bring measurable sales results and are unsure of how to go about attracting new customers and encouraging repeat business.

The advice I give these individuals is almost always the same—to capture new customers you have to think about which segments of your community will be most receptive to your business offers. And to guarantee repeat business, you must give your customers a reason to come back. Throwing money away on marketing schemes that do not target specific customer groups is not only inefficient, it is dangerous to the health of your business. Instead, entrepreneurs should take control of their marketing activities by aiming to draw new customers from a very important and often overlooked segment in your community— new movers.

New movers are individuals and families that have recently moved to a new location, most likely after experiencing a lifestyle change (such as a new marriage, divorce or employment opportunity). These customers offer car-care business owners the perfect opportunity to expand their customer base and capture new and loyal business. New movers typically arrive in their homes with an open mind, ready to establish new routines and to try out new services offered in their communities. If you make your business one of the ones that a new mover samples within the months following a move, you are well on your way to building a new and loyal customer relationship.

The best way to capture a new mover’s attention is to send a letter to his home welcoming him to the neighborhood. Briefly introduce yourself and your business in the letter and present the customer with an irresistible offer, such as a gift certificate for free premium car-care services. No strings attached, no “buy one get one free” offers, just a certificate for a free premium service to welcome the new mover to the community.

Chances are the new mover will visit your business, excited by the opportunity of receiving free premium car-care services. When the customer arrives, make sure your attendants treat him very well and ensure that his vehicle is expertly washed and polished. Talk with him about the neighborhood, its local restaurants and businesses and ask if he would like to be notified via e-mail of service specials your business offers periodically to its most valued customers. If so, collect his e-mail address. Make sure he is happy with your attendants’ work and invite him to come back soon.

If you make a good impression, chances are your new mover will remember your business the next time his car needs to be cleaned. Additionally, he will be familiar with your premium service and will most likely choose to purchase the same service that he received the last time he visited your business—and this time at full price. Suddenly, you have a loyal repeat customer, one that prefers your premium services to your basic ones, and one that would most likely not have visited your business had he not received your welcome letter. With one letter, you have created a valuable new customer relationship. That is how you begin to attract and retain new customers.

While building new relationships is an important part of running a successful business, learning how to drive customers to your door when you need them the most is equally significant. You’ve already started to attract new customers with your new-movers program, but you must also begin to start reaching out to your current customers and encourage them to visit your business again and again.

Remember when you asked your new mover for his e-mail address? It’s now time to put that information to work. The next time your business is experiencing a slow day, simply go to your customer address book, compose an e-mail that offers a one-day discount on one of your services—say, half off your premium cleaning service—and send the invitation to the customers who know and trust your business.

These individuals will be receptive to your e-mail because of their last experience at your car-care facility and will be drawn to your business because of the discounted services. With one e-mail, you have taken a slow day and turned it into a busy one, simply by going back to your loyal customers and giving them an incentive to visit your business.

It is important to remember that your customers are among your business’ most valuable assets. You should consistently strive to build positive relationships with them so that they come to trust and rely on your services. Offering new movers free car-care services is a great way to catch their attention. But in order to turn a one-time customer into a loyal one you must provide them with a quality experience and give them a reason to return. Business basics, such as offering helpful and friendly customer service, providing a clean and non-threatening business environment and ensuring quality service at a reasonable price are crucial to building a lasting and loyal relationship with a new customer. And building loyal customer relationships is the key to running a successful and profitable business.

Jay Siff is the CEO and Founder of Moving Targets, Inc. in Perkasie, Pa., a recognized expert on marketing strategies.