Three Ways to Get Repeat Sales With Follow-up Marketing

If you have customers, that's good. If you can sell them repeatedly over time, that's better! Actively pursuing repeat sales, also known as backend sales, is one of themost profitable things you can do for your small business.Here are three ways to do it ...1. Say, "Thank you"Start with a simple thank-you letter. Ask yourself this -- when's the lasttime you got a thank-you letter from a company after giving them yourmoney? I'll bet you can't remember. See the possibilities for standing outand generating good will? I created an email template so I don't have to write the same thank-youemail over and over. It literally takes seconds for me to send one out toeach client. A heartfelt "thank you" is all you really have to say, but you can go a bitfurther in your message, by doing the following: reinforce why it was a good idea to buy from you in the first place -- sellyour company after the sale to cut down on buyer's remorse andreturns/refunds offer another product or service to complement their original purchase; youcan make this a limited-time offer, as I do (see my example thank-you emailbelow) refer customers to affiliate programs at other Web sites that pay you anticipate frequently asked questions (FAQ) and tell customers how they canget service after the sale ask for referrals Simply sending a thank-you message after the sale will help nip serviceproblems in the bud. By acknowledging people who buy from you and opening achannel of communication, you can turn unhappy customers into raving fanswho later recommend your business. Really, when you think of it, the only thing that differentiates yourbusiness -- online or off -- is service. Yes, it's crucial to have the highest-quality product/service possible. Butwhat customers remember (and what they tell their friends) is how they weretreated. You can set the tone for a positive, profitable relationship withall your customers simply by thanking them right after they purchase fromyou. 2. Send a surveyCustomer feedback, negative or positive, is a crucial tool for fixing holesin your business. You can get that feedback via an online survey.As of this writing, you can get one free at Zoomerang (www.zoomerang.com/).I've used them for over a year and highly recommend their survey creator.A good customer survey is like a vigorous massage -- you may feel beat upafter reading the results, because NO business serves its customers as wellas it thinks it does, but the results will energize you. Side benefitA survey is a window into your clients' minds. If you include a section forthem to include their comments, it's like having a free product researchlaboratory! LISTEN and ACT on what your customers tell you. They'll giveyou invaluable tips on what new products to sell, joint ventures to form,etc. Side benefitYou'll also find that clients answering your survey will often give youtestimonials, which you can later use on your Web site. As you probablyknow, testimonials are an incredibly effective way to boost credibility andsales. I've accumulated five or six pages of them over the years (I stoppedcounting) and prospects continually tell me that my testimonials were adeciding factor in why they chose to buy from me. 3. Introduce them to non-competitors' productsWhat if customers won't need your product/service again for a long time, ifever? If you haven't done so already, set up affiliate deals from other Websites that offer items related to your own. My business offers a perfect example. Buying a resume is a lot likevisiting the dentist -- it's not something people look forward to, and theylikely won't make a repeat purchase for 6-12 months … or longer.To overcome this, I email my clients information about career-related Websites where they can register for job search services, buy books and audiotapes, refer jobs to friends, etc. Each of these sites has an affiliate program that pays me $1 to $5 everytime people register or buy. It all adds up to hundreds of dollars inmonthly revenue that would have been left on the table had I not introducedmy customers to these other sites. Need ideas on what kinds of products or services to offer your customers?You can search for an affiliate program that's right for your customers atone of these sites -www.associateprograms.com/orwww.refer-it.com/Best of luck to you!