__p An interesting incident occurred recently. A friend of mine was looking to buy a notebook. She wanted to know what were the various configurations and what it would cost her. One would assume that with an 18,000-strong reseller base in the country she was flooded with information. On the contrary, she still has to find a seller who will answer her information needs. Which brings me to the question: How does one find a PC seller?
p____p Resellers don’t advertise. They depend on the manufacturer to include their name in the small print that comes below the advertisement in print publications. Now this placement is reserved for privileged partners. So how does the regular assembler ever get to meet a new customer?
p____p He ensures that his customer always remembers him. He maintains a database of when a PC is sold, what was the configuration, why the customer bought the PC, and so on. He keeps his customer regularly updated on new products that might interest him. He informs his client about a good exchange offer. And most importantly, he does this in a subtle manner.
p____p He sends an email, gives a call when the offer is really interesting and one that will appeal to his client. He makes sure that the customer always speaks well about him. Word of mouth is the cheapest and most effective way of advertising. Without spending thousands on advertising, you can ensure that your customer base is always increasing by selling well to existing customers.
p____p In the daily struggle for margins, most of us forget the simple rules of business. We forget that it costs less to support an existing client than to go out to find a new one. Advertising does not always mean billboards, good-looking photographs printed on glossy paper. Sometimes it could also mean a quick phone call or a thoughtful mail to show your customer that you are still interested in his business.p__