5 Ways To Better Promote Your Service Business
Posted on March 31, 2008
The old adage ‘Service with a Smile’ is a true one in any business and pays great dividends. However, beyond a warm greeting and friendly service what are other ways a service business can promote itself. The following are 5 ways to promote your service business for increased sales:
* Offer extended hours. Do you know the hours your competition keeps? Maybe you run a hair salon or an electrical repair shop. Does most of your competition close their doors at 6:00 p.m.? Can you close an hour or two later certain nights of the week to catch the after work crowd? While people work all sorts of shifts, the majority still work 9 to 5 type hours and may welcome your later hours. Advertise your extended hours -time and days-and see what happens. You may acquire customers who never had the time to check you out before.
* Create a simple, inexpensive informative newsletter to keep the community up-to-date on events, promotions, and new services you may provide at your place of business. This can be a one page 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper printed on both sides. Have it available to hand out to your clients’ whether they come to you or you visit them in your service business. This isn’t a flyer, though where you advertise and hype. This is more of a casual conversation update that’s heavy on information. Sort of a “here’s what were up to, come in and see us.” You can let your flashy flyer handle the price promotion stuff.
* Create a Preferred Customer Club. A real one. You know who those customers are. Let them know you know. This isn’t a sign-up club for anyone who walks in who wants to be a preferred member. There are tons of them around. This is a reward program for those who have established themselves as true regular users of your service. You can offer these customers discounts and an extra level of exclusive service as preferred members. They will tell others who then may become regular customers as they see the benefits of an upgrading to a Preferred Customer. Of course, advertise your Preferred Customer Club. Let people know what one needs to do to become one. If you offer excellent benefits to those who prove themselves regular customers then others will desire to acquire those benefits by becoming regulars themselves.
* Provide follow-up customer service. This is where you go beyond the smile and ‘have a nice day’ actions after you have provided your service to a client. This is offering additional service to complement the service you just performed. This will be unique to your business. Are you a lawn care specialist? Did you just perform super weed-killing service? Will that be it for client contact? Why not pay a return visit in a week or so to check up on your job - or at least make a courtesy call to check in with your client. They will appreciate it and will think of you first whenever they require lawn care work in the future. Whatever service you offer a quick phone call to ask, “Was everything satisfactory?” goes a long way in building client goodwill.
* Promote your business by having enthusiastic, motivated employees. Keep them happy and excited about your business and they will keep your customers happy and excited at the same time. Remember, your employees are your public relations ambassadors when you’re not there. Offer them incentives for ‘great’ not just ‘good’ performance and watch them shine. Your clients will bask in that glow and send your profits soaring.
Promoting your service business does not have to be a costly undertaking. With a little creative thought and the requisite hard work that any business entails, you can do it. ‘Service with a Smile’ will be that much more valuable when you’re willing to go the extra mile to promote your business.
Michael Ugulini
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