To Know Them is to Love Them:
The Evolution of Customer Loyalty in Specialty Retail

– Don Capman, President,
   J.D. Associates

As a retailer, what do you think about when you hear “CUSTOMER LOYALTY”? It’s certainly the latest buzz in specialty retailing. But it really started to gain momentum in the early ‘90’s. When most of us think about customer loyalty, we think about how we can create a loyal customer base that will continue to shop in our stores with increased regularity and respond to our “customer incentive programs”. In this article, I propose that we look at a fundamentally different approach to customer loyalty. Rather than ask how loyal your customers are to your store, ask how loyal you are to your customers.

When I think of a customer loyalty program, I think of a customer friendly store that offers me extraordinary service, personal recognition, convenience and clear incentives. However, all too often, that is not the case.

Here are just a couple of examples of customer loyalty programs that backfire and can actually drive customers away: [Get the full story]

Cultivating Repeat Customers

– Allan J. Katz, The Loyalty Coach

Are your customers loyal to you? Here’s how to insure they will return again & again & tell others about you!

How would you feel if you could build a one to one relationship with each and every customer to the point where they then become an advocate for your business?

Actually, if you have a database marketing list of your customers, you’re already on the way to building one to one relationships...Here’s How: [Get the full story]

The Myths of Selling

– Kelley Robertson

For more than a decade I have had the opportunity to interact with thousands of salespeople and I have discovered a few myths that many of them have fallen prey to. Here are just a few.

Buyers are liars. I’m constantly amazed how many salespeople use this expression. Do people mislead salespeople? Absolutely. But this usually occurs when the sales person has failed to earn that person's trust. Gaining someone’s trust means not pushing them into making a buying decision. It means focusing your attention on THEIR situation rather than trying to close the sale. Earning trust means treating people with respect and dignity even if they are not prepared to make a buying decision right now. [Get the full story]