Direct Marketing News

When you go shopping do you ever analyze what you’re buying and why? Do you ever watch the marketing techniques being used in the store? Do you see what works and what doesn’t work for the store you’re in and apply that information to your own business?

The other day I was grocery shopping and when I rounded a corner a woman was giving away samples of a new cracker. The sample was good, yummy in fact. I didn’t particularly need crackers but she told me they were on sale this week and with the dollar off coupon it would be a good buy. Anyway, you can always use crackers can’t you?

I went over to the cracker section of the store to find a gaping hole. The brand being promoted were sold out. So I went back to the Sample Lady and asked her if there was another place in the store where I could pick up the crackers. She told me they were completely sold out but there would be more when their truck came in — in two days! I asked her how long she planned to give out samples of a product people couldn’t buy? Her answer amazed me. She had two more hours that day and an eight hour shift the next day to give out samples of a product that wasn’t available. Now - does that even begin to make sense?

Do you ever have products that are on back order? Do you show that product anyway? Do you think it may irritate your customers when they have to wait to get what they wanted because of it being on back order? Like the crackers, I wanted them, it was an impulse purchase and they weren’t available. I felt a mild sense of irritation.

When I went to check out one of the items I purchased didn’t ring up at the sale price. I had purchased several because they were deeply discounted. It wasn’t until I got home and looked over the receipt that I realized I hadn’t received the discount. This wasn’t fifty cents, that I could over look - it was $10. Now I am irritated! They hadn’t followed through on a sale item on top of not having a sample item.

Do you follow through in your business? Do you say something and then don’t do it? Do you offer something and then don’t have it? Customer satisfaction is one of the biggest issues in building a solid business. Your future hostesses and recruits will come from the satisfied customers you have today.

Reality is - customer satisfaction leads to customer loyalty. I think I’m looking for a different grocery store.

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