business - How to Follow Up With Customers

Following up after you've made a sale will enable you tocapture repeat business, the cornerstone of most successful smallbusinesses. You can follow up by phone, in-person, or through themail. Here are some specific methods you can try:

Call customers a few weeks after a sale
If you run an autobody shop call all customers two weeks after theypick up their car to find out how the car is and make sure they arehappy with the job your business performed. This will enable you toaddress customer discontent, if any exists. This is also a goodtime to thank them for their patronage.

Write a note
A handwritten note thanking a customer for buying from you is asimple step that lots of business owners overlook. This type ofpersonal approach is almost always appreciated and remembered. Formletter follow-ups are not recommended, since they lose theirpersonal touch.

Keep in Touch
Call your customers periodically to find out if their business haschanged in any way, and if you can help them with anything.Customers will also appreciate being kept apprised of any newdevelopments, upgrades, or additional products.

Seek customer input
A survey such as the one below can be printed on the back of abusiness reply card and sent out to all of your customers. It isexcerpted from Superstar Sales Secrets by Barry J. Farber (CareerPress). Farber recommends using this survey to determine where youneed to improve your follow-up and customer service:

Dear Valued Customer,

To assist us in determining how we may better serve you, pleasecomplete and return this survey.

Your name ___________________________________________
Company name ________________________________________
Phone ____________________________ Date _____________

Please respond to the following by checking the appropriateresponse.

Courtesy and Helpfulness ofreceptionist