Why do you need customer profiles?
It takes out the guesswork of marketing your small business.
It helps you focus activities and programs with those customers who will buy from you on a regular basis so you can grow you business.
A profile of your key customers, includes information that helps you understand what is important to them, their buying behaviour, their interests, how engaged they are with your brand etc.
Initially it does take a little work to build the profiles, however it is quite easy to then update and maintain the database.
Five business benefits of building customer profiles are:
Better Communication
If you think about your communication with long-time friends, versus those you don’t know very well. You quickly realise how much easier it is because you know more about them. With customers the same is true and if you have a profile you are in a better position to know what to communicate, when to communicate and by what method.
Greater Opportunities
It is far easier to develop opportunities for your brand because you will find they will provide feedback and suggestions. You will be able to refine your product or service offerings to better meet their needs and new opportunities to develop other products and services that are important to them.
Reduces Competition
If you have a profile you will know the key elements of how to maintain strong relationships so they are not vulnerable to competitive offers. A profile helps you refine what you do in customer service, pricing, offers, staying in touch etc so they do not become dissatisfied.
Increases Profit
Once you have a profile of your key customers, then it becomes a lot less expensive in time and money spent developing the relationship. You will be able to plan ahead instead of marketing on the run and have a higher return on your efforts.
Brings in More Customers
It is much easier to attract more customers when you actually know about your current customers. You will be able to build a target list of potential customers who are more likely to be attracted to your products and services. You will also find that you receive more referrals and recommendations from your current customers to others similar in profile.
With competition for customers increasing everyday, can you afford not to actively know more about your key customers?