Welcoming Customers Show you value your customers to keep them coming back.

Meeting and greeting your customers properly is such a basic concept that it's frequently overlooked. Here are a few ways to do it well:

  • layout to quickly accommodate customers.
  • Greet customers quickly. No one likes the feeling of walking into a business and being ignored. Encourage your employees to greet customers the moment they enter your place of business. Some businesses create a more personal atmosphere, offering customers a glass of sparkling apple cider or other refreshments to enjoy as they browse.
  • Help if you're needed. Back off if you're not. The quickest way to chase customers out the door is to chase them around the store. Customers get annoyed if they feel they're being pressured, followed or watched. Coach employees to remain discreetly on hand if customers have questions, but allow clients to browse freely otherwise. If a customer needs assistance, employees should drop what they're doing and provide it.
  • Treat VIPs like VIPs. Recognize important customers when they come to call. If your business is primarily walk-in, make it a priority to learn the names of customers who return frequently or who make large purchases. For service-oriented businesses or those that receive orders via phone, you may wish to create a paper or computer file on VIP preferences.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Starting a Business

Plant Lovers Are Making $11,000 a Month On This Fully Remote Side Hustle

Do you have a green thumb, an internet connection and some hours to kill? If so, this side hustle could be the perfect way to grow thousands of extra dollars a month.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Leadership

W.A.I.T. Before You Speak — and Make Every Conversation More Impactful

When professionals embrace silence and intentional communication, they create space for innovation, trust and more meaningful conversations.

Growing a Business

What's the Best Way to Start a Business? The Answer Isn't Creating a Flashy Product — It's This

Avoid the costly pitfalls of overbuilding products too soon and better understand your customers by focusing on your service, not your product.