Let's Start with the Basics
By John Gumas
As marketing professionals, we're always looking for the best ways to brand our companies, to reach our customers cost effectively and to develop powerful media plans.
But as we begin this new year, we thought it's a great time to reflect on the most basic marketing strategy of all ... how we interact with our customers.
In truth, great customer relationships are the essence of building a strong business. During a tough market, it's especially important to build great bonds with those who care enough to give us their business.
We hope the following words of wisdom will be of value, as we renew our focus on customer relations in the new year.
Our customers ...
- are the most important people ever in the office, either in person or otherwise.
- are not dependent on us; we are dependent on them.
- are not an interruption of our work - they are the purpose of it. We are not doing customers a favor by serving them; they are doing us a favor by giving us an opportunity to do so.
- are not outsiders to our business; they are part of it.
- are not cold statistics - names on a file card or a ledger sheet. Each is a flesh and blood human being with families, feelings and emotions like our own.
- are not people to argue with. Nobody ever wins an argument with a customer.
- are people who bring us their "wants." It is our job to fulfill them profitably - for them and for ourselves.
- are to be treated like gold, regardless of whether the actual income we receive from them is on the lower or higher range of our offerings.
As we enter a new year, let's not forget the basics. And, from all of us at Gumas Advertising, here's wishing you a very healthy, happy and prosperous new year.
January 2008 Builder Architect Edition Issue