Focus On Satisfying Customers And They'll Return, Again & Again!

A happy customer is a repeat customer. How many times have you heard that one? More than you can count, I bet, because it's oh-so true. If you're like me, you have tons of examples of becoming a repeat customer yourself. Take Starbucks, where pretty much the entire country's a frequent flier. I admit, I go there regularly; I know exactly what to expect and it's consistently good. But sometimes, the whole Venti versus Tall thing bugs me (and why exactly is a Grande only a medium?). So sometimes I prefer a small coffee house where everybody knows your name. Wait, that's the bar on Cheers. Well whatever... a neighborhood place with familiar faces is a very welcome stop. Both choices for coffee are great, it just depends what I want at the time: Speed or ambiance. Venti or a simple large. "Next in line" or "Hi Norm!".

In my business life, there are certain vendors I like to give repeat business to, such as photographers, florists and event rentals. I have my reasons for liking different vendors for certain types of events. Each has different skills and strengths. When I'm happy with what they do for me, I become a repeat customer... over and over again! And not only that, I'm vocal about it. (Surprising, I know.) I tell people about my good experience. I refer other clients, I share on social media, I tell my friends at Cheers. And I do this without getting paid or taking a cut for myself (so generous of me!), because that's what you do when you like something! You share, you tell people, you spread the love!

A Happy Customer Can Be Your Free Marketing!

While I did just fess up to being a Starbucks regular – which seemed way more grown-up than telling you where I like to get donuts, which would also mean admitting that I love donuts – Starbucks doesn't really need my referrals. It's ubiquitous. There's practically one on every corner and unless you've lived in a cave for the last decade or two, you've heard of it. (Which reminds me of that hilarious headline in The Onion years ago: "New Starbucks Opens in Restroom of Existing Starbucks." Love that!!) So yeah, they're doing just fine without me.

But you know who could benefit from my good word-of-mouth? The small cafes I like – independently owned, quirky places that don't have an ounce of cookie-cutter vibe and still have hole-punch cards that let you earn a free cup. They support fair trade, and have plenty of regulars who order the usual. The Cheers of coffee bars.

Those are the kinds of places that NEED my referrals, plus the referrals – and likes and shares – of other customers as well. Small businesses thrive on word-of-mouth recommendations, which are basically free marketing. And because the recommendations are coming from actual customers, they're the most believable type of testimonial. Besides that, small business owners are my people and they deserve my support!

Shop. Share. Repeat!

So why am I rambling on about coffee and Cheers and repeat customers? Could it be that I'm cutting back on caffeine for the new year? No, never! God forbid! (What would I have with my donuts?) It's because I want to remind you that good customer service and making your customers happy can result in two great benefits for your business:

• A happy customer will return.
• A happy customer can share their good experience with others and refer new customers/clients to you.

Yeah and yeah!

So if you're still mulling over your list of New Year's resolutions, maybe now's a good time to add some to-do's that help you renew your focus on customer service to make every customer a happy customer. And a repeat one, just like Norm.

Be Oh So Quotable This Week!

Oh by the way, are you searching for easy steps to charge more without losing clients? Learn where you're leaving money on the table and discover simple costs to cut PLUS get productivity tips! And the best part is it's all FREE! Get our Simple Tricks right here!

I always say running a business means the work never ends! Ain't that the truth? I bet your to-do list is a mile long! Make sure that the items at the top of your list are the things that relate to being more profitable. Everyone is so proud of being so "busy"...But Are You Making Any Money? Don't be too busy to focus!

Check out the summary of last week's business tips and motivational quotes from my Instagram page which you hopefully got to see in real time! If not, let's make sure we're following each other on Instagram!! So...here is this week's roundup of Instagram images of My Top Business Tips and Motivational Quotes.

Happy Customer – Tip #1:

Love this? Pin it to your Motivation Board.

"Loyal customers, they don’t just come back, they don’t simply recommend you, they insist that their friends do business with you." – Chip Bell

Happy Customer – Tip #2:

Love this? Pin it to your Business Tips Board.

"We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It’s our job every day to make every important aspect of the customer experience a little bit better." – Jeff Bezos

Happy Customer – Tip #3:

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"Customer service is not a department, it’s everyone’s job." – Anonymous

Happy Customer – Tip #4:

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"The best customer service is if the customer doesn’t need to call you, doesn’t need to talk to you. It just works." – Jeff Bezos

Happy Customer – Tip #5:

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"Obsess about customers, not competitors." – Jeff Bezos

Let's talk! I'd love to hear how you try to make every customer a happy customer!

Do you believe a happy customer becomes a repeat customer? What's your strategy to make that happen? I would LOVE to hear from you! Anyhoo...I publish these business tips and motivational quotes to get you fired up for your work week!

Oh hey, are you in desperate need of simple and easy steps to attract clients you love, create a pricing strategy and ditch the door knockers? Then you've come to the right place! Get it here for FREE!

And, if you want more business tips, get my book, But Are You Making Any Money? or contact me to really take your business to the next level!

xoxo M

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