YOUR CUSTOMERS MATTER
When we find ourselves in a situation that is out of our control, all we can do is focus on the things we can control. As the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the world, many people felt like they had no control over their lives. Jayde Powell, a pre-med student from the University of Nevada, turned her attention on what she could control: helping others. For older people or those with compromised immune systems, grocery shopping during a pandemic is a huge health risk. After hearing that her mother had reached out to elderly neighbors and asked if they needed supplies, Powell decided to create a free grocery delivery service dedicated to helping at-risk individuals. The organization, dubbed Shopping Angels, started with Powell and a few dozen members of her medical fraternity. Powell founded Shopping Angels in late February. Within weeks, she was spearheading an international movement. National news outlets picked up the Shopping Angels story, and President Trump even mentioned the organization during a televised briefing. Powell found herself flooded with emails and phone calls, not just from people who needed help grocery shopping, but from hundreds of people who wanted to volunteer and help their own communities. She’s even had food banks and manufacturers reach out to donate goods. “It’s just mind-blowing,” Powell said. “We have branches starting in Canada and Australia that are going to try and do the same thing. It’s just so exciting to see how the communities are wanting to give back.” While the Shopping Angels delivery service is free, clients must still pay for the groceries. In order to help those on a tighter budget, Powell started a GoFundMe account, raising donations to make sure everyone is able to get what they need during the crisis. The success of Shopping Angels highlights how communities can come together and reminds us all that one person really can make a difference.
Right now, finding new customers is easier said than done, but relationship marketing could be your ticket to surviving and thriving. After all, there’s no better asset to a business than its customers. Relationship marketing places a high value on the customers you already have and focuses on how you can continue to serve them so they keep doing business with you. The idea is to go above and beyond what the customer expects from you and continually keep in touch with them. This includes sending monthly newsletters, communicating via email, offering monthly specials, and providing loyalty and referral rewards. In turn, your customers will remember your name and be more likely to recommend you to their friends and family. People take the word of their loved ones very seriously, and your customers could serve as the driving force you need to get new business in the door. In fact, studies point to consumers placing a higher value on the word of their loved ones than advertisements. It’s one thing for you to talk about your customer service, but it’s a whole other ballgame to hear about it from one of your customers. In addition, this constant contact with your customers gives you a plethora of feedback opportunities. When your customers trust you, they are honest with you, and you learn more ways you can grow or find weak links in your process. Granted, relationship marketing can be one of the more expensive marketing tactics, but according to Harvard Business Review, a 5% increase in customer retention can translate into 25%–95% profit increases. That value is worth more than a little extra investing. Now more than ever, you must focus on the customers you are already serving. Get your team together and collaborate on the ways you can show up for your customers, encourage them to recommend you, and wow them into becoming lifelong clients. Pro Tip: If you want to get in contact with your customers on a more frequent basis, reach out to our team about this newsletter! We can connect you with The Newsletter Pro, which helps us create it each month. Maximize Your Business’s Success With Relationship Marketing
Learn more about the Shopping Angels mission by visiting its Facebook page at Facebook.com/ShoppingAngelsInc.
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