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Three Guaranteed Ways To Change Your Momentum

June 28, 2009


Business slow?  You know it is!  You rack your brain to generate ideas to get more buzz going about your store.  Here are three guaranteed ways to change your momentum:

• Call customers who did business with you this month last year.  Bev keeps all her purchase orders for each month in a file.  All she has to do is go to the file cabinet and select June, 2008.  Inside is a stack of pink sheets, records of business done a year ago and with whom.  The first day Bev called Shannon who said, "Thanks for calling.  Your store had slipped my mind, but I have a new project and I need to come see you."

Here's the rule: People want to do business with people they know.  Shannon knows Bev and it is easier to motivate Shannon to come in than find a new customer that is a clone of Shannon.

When you are through with the June file, pick up May and work backwards.  When you are finished with January, call July. 2008.

• Pull up your database.  Chances are you have names and phone numbers, but no email addresses.  On our list of 1,200 in the design business there are about half that are missing this crucial way of communication.  The only way of reaching them is by mail and that is expensive, $.50 to $1.00 each.  An email costs less than one cent!  I can email 100 people for the cost of one hand stamped newsletter.  Another point to remember.  When you batch email to your database, only half, at the miost, will read your email.  So, the more names the better. 

You can have your assistant or sales staff or even you personally in those down times, call and say, "We email a newsletter to all our friends.  In it we keep you informed about news that will help you grow your business or will help you save money.  May we add your email to our list of friends?"

• Network! Because you only reach half of your database through emails, every time you have news or you post to your blog, (YOU DO HAVE BLOG, DON'T YOU!)  let people know on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.  There is Tweetdeck that allows you to post to Facebook every thing you Tweet automatically.  There are groups you can form or join on LinkedIn where you can add a discussion about your latest news or post on your blog.

In our case when I post to Landfair Furniture (Blog) or The Landfair Retail Focus, I start discussions on groups I've joined.  The groups I've joined for the business are for interior designers.  I've even started a group called Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery for Designers. The groups I've joined that are for my Home Assents Today blog are for industry owners and buyers. 

Do what I suggest for thirty days and you will be amazed at your attitude and the momentum you've created! 

Thoughts?  You can comment directly, email me at landfair3554@comcast.net or follow me @landfairfurnitu.  

Posted by Mike Landfair on June 28, 2009 | Comments (1)