More Than Just A Place To Shop

By Author: Kaye Z. Marks
Total Articles: 252
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Why exactly are people coming and shopping with you? If you don't know the answer to this than how are you supposed to properly encourage them to come in?

How long has it been since you really stopped and actually looked at why people like your company? If you've been in business for at least a few years or more than you have your set of loyal customers that keep coming in. The question is how many of them are their and why are the loyal ones so loyal?

When you order color printing for your advertisements, what kind of focus do those ads take? Are they all about the next sale? Is your only focus when it comes to ads about great deals and upcoming product releases?

I know of a few stores I regularly go to that I only do so for good deals. The problem with companies like this is that I only shop with them so long as they're offering me the best deal. As soon as another company opens up that can give me something for cheaper, I'm there, and the first company has just lost some business.

The companies I'm truly loyal to are the ones that can offer me more than just good deals. These are the companies ...
... that have a personality all their own. They host different events that appeal to me, they have better than normal customer service, and they have several programs that go beyond getting business.

Think about what you can do that separates you out from the rest of the pack. Maybe you can emphasize an environmentally friendly goal with your color printing where you tell people about all the things you're doing to improve the environment. Maybe you donate a certain amount of your profits to a certain charity, or maybe you're joining forces with a local group that's trying to improve the city.

This isn't just about what you can do for your customers in relation to better deals, but what kind of contribution can you make to them beyond the purchase they're about to make.

I've seen plenty of companies that emphasize that they're a family run company that understands a person's needs. They aren't telling everyone that you're going to get the best price when they come in, but that you're going to be dealing with dedicated people who have something personally invested in the company.

This is what I mean by being more than just a place to shop. The smaller your company is the easier it is to accomplish. After all, when I walk into a local store where I can actually talk to the owner whenever I want because he's the main person working there, it isn't hard to get a good feel for the place.

But that doesn't mean the larger companies should bypass developing a personality for their company. The earlier examples I gave of donating to charities or making yourself eco friendly are just a few of the ways even large companies can develop a strong personality.

If you make yourself more than just a store you can increase the odds of having truly loyal customers. The next time you order color printing for your advertisements ask yourself why people are really shopping with you.

Kaye Z. Marks is an avid writer and follower of developments in color printing industry and how these improvements can benefit small to medium-scale business.