Using Technology To Keep in Touch With Your Customers
The Internet provides direct sales business owners a very simple and convenient way to stay in touch with their clients. When you are involved in direct sales, keeping in touch with your customers is an excellent way to ensure good customer service. And good customer service means they might be more willing to book a party with you and make repeat purchases. If you keep a list of your customer’s favorite products you have an excuse to let them know about any sales you have, too.
Here are a few ways that you can use the technology of the Internet to keep in touch with your customers.
Blogs
Start a blog to keep in touch with your customers. A blog is basically an online journal and a great place to inform people about what is happening in your business. Include informative articles related to your product and your customers will see you as a valuable resource. Use your blog to keep your customers informed of product specials that both your company and you personally are offering and allow them to make comments about your posts should they have any questions. WordPress and Blogger are two popular blogging platforms to try if you don’t already have one.
We recommend MomWebs.com hosting with a WordPress.org blog.
Forums
Start your own online forum to communicate with your customers. Starting a message board is simple to do and you could even incorporate it with your blog. Having different forum threads to deal with customer questions on specific products, customer complaint issues, product specials or just chat with your customers about any topic could be a great resource especially if you have a large client base.
Email Discussion Group
Similar to a forum an email discussion group like the ones available through yahoo or google is yet another way that you can keep in touch with your customers. You can make your group available for discussion or use it to release a monthly or even weekly newsletter to inform your customers about your business.
Mailing List
A mailing list should be the first thing you start after opening your doors for business. Pass out information cards or forms to each guest at your parties and make sure they give you permission to add them to your list and contact them. You might even include a box on your form for specific items like receiving a monthly newsletter or special sales notices. Be careful how you use your mailing list so you aren’t considered a spammer. If you’re unsure of what spam is do a quick internet search and study up. It will be worth your time.
We recommend Aweber.com as a mailing list management system.
There are many tools technology has provided the home based business owner and these are just a few of the more common ones. Don’t be afraid to use them to grow your business.
