Given that a lot of companies aren’t even sure how to get a new customer in the first place, we’d say it’s a lot simpler to keep your current ones coming back. So what does it take to keep your customers coming back to you? A little appreciation, saying hello every now and then, and a few other very easy tasks.

Be Up Front and Honest About Everything

Don’t commit the mistake of under-charging for your work, but please make sure your customer is well aware of all charges. Make sure that you both know exactly what is expected out of every purchase, and you will be well on your way to creating a lasting bond.

Always Say Please and Thank You

Never tell a customer they have to do something. Nobody likes being forced. Always ask: “would you please send me that information as soon as you get a chance?” And then always remember to thank them for everything they do for you.

Thank Them For Their Business

I know we mentioned this just a minute ago, but it really is important. You should always thank a customer for their business. Make them feel really appreciated – they are, after all, putting the food on your table.

Give Them Something Extra When the Opportunity Arises

Going that extra little step will always pay off big time. Doing something extra, even if it’s really small, will show them that you honestly care about them. It will guarantee that they always turn to you when they are in the market.

Throw in That Personal Touch

This is where being a small business is a huge advantage. Big companies go to great lengths to make things look handwritten. It’s much easier for you – that trusty old pen and paper is just a drawer away. Also, remembering all of your customers names scores big bonus points (try that if you have a 1000 employee corporation).

Pay Your Customers a Compliment

Giving out compliments is good advice in general, and when it’s in a business setting it’s almost silly not to. The key with giving compliments is to make sure they are heartfelt and meaningful. If done properly, you’ll make your customers feel good about themselves and brighten their day a little. Pretty soon they’ll connect that happiness with you; and then you have a customer for life

Ask Them For More

You might be amazed with this one, if it’s done correctly. After you’ve finished working with a client or serving a customer, tell them that you enjoyed their company and would love to work with them again (notice the compliment thrown in there too). This little step can be extremely effective.

Following all of these may seem difficult at first, but with practice it becomes a lot easier. Start with one or two, and gradually build up until you’re using several of them with all of your customers. You will be amazed at how effective these tiny little measures can be.

What’s Happening Right Now?

The first step in predicting the future is to get a firm hold on what’s happening in the present. The more knowledge and information you have to work with, the more likely it is you’ll spot an important pattern or emerging trend.

Look into your specific industry, your customer base, and entire markets as a whole. Find out what similar businesses are doing, look at trends from unrelated industries, listen to what people are saying, watch what people are actually doing.

You want to collect anything from this information that you think is significant. Don’t try to predict every trend at this point, just get a feel for what’s going on.

Where Do You Think Things Are Going?

Once you’ve taken all of your data and created a compilation of things you think are significant, it’s time to think about the future and where things are headed.

Pick any one piece or group of significant information, and logically walk through its future progressions. What will happen in 3 months, 6 months, a year, 5 years? What other things might it effect, and what will affect it, in the future? What other possible paths might the trend take?

Do this quick walk-through with each thing you think is important, and hopefully a clearer image of the future will emerge.

Which Trends Are Important For Your Business?

Spotting important trends is only one part of the battle—capitalizing on those trends is equally important. Which trends do you think will intersect with your business? How are you going to position and market your company to take advantage of them?

Being environmentally friendly is getting more and more popular, it’s a clear trend. How companies will effectively brand themselves as being green, however, is still completely up in the air.

A good bet can mean never having to work for anyone again, but a bad one can spell trouble. Remember to plan not only for your best-guess outcomes, but also for other alternatives that may or may not happen. Having a backup plan means you’ll be able to do well regardless of which way events unfold.

Find a Niche

For small businesses, it is best to find a niche. A small company with limited resources can efficiently serve niche markets. Concentrate your efforts on a fairly narrow market offering. This entails sticking to what you do best, and becoming an expert in that field.

Realize that it is not possible to be good at everything. By concentrating on a fairly narrow market niche, you may be able to avoid head-on collision with bigger competitors. If you are a hardware store selling everything from paints to lumber, the entry of giant retailers like Home Depot in your area can spell the end for your business. However, you can try to limit your offering, for example, to construction of porches and decks and be the best retailer for this segment.

Be Small, yet Think Big

The most common question of small business start-ups is “How can I compete with my big competitors?” Small businesses have inherent advantages over big businesses, including flexibility, ability to respond quickly, able to provide a more personalized service. Make sure that your business takes maximum advantage of those areas that represent the strengths of small companies.

Differentiate Your Products

Present the benefits of your products and services to your customers, highlighting the unique solutions it offers to their problems. Avoid being a copycat; rarely do imitators succeed in the market. Study, but do not copy your competitors, and package your products distinctly.

First Impression Counts

Strive for accuracy and quality the first time around. You often do not have a second chance to make a good first impression. This entails a well-laid out store, courteous staff, and personable voice over the phone, etc. However, if you are a one-person business working in a home office, remember that you are the center of your business and marketing efforts.

Everyone you come in touch with is potentially a client or a referral to another client because they are either impressed with you as a person, impressed with your skill at providing a certain service or product. Make sure that you are always presentable, professional in your ways and knowledgeable about your business.

Good Reputation

Your business hinges on its reputation. It is imperative that you build a good reputation for the quality of your products and support services. Remember that two things guarantee success: high quality goods and superior service. Always aim for quality. If you are a tax consultant, strive to prepare a totally accurate, perfectly done tax returns for your clients.

Constant Improvement

Entrepreneurs know that they should not be rigid in their ways of thinking in their quest to improve their best products and services. You risk being left behind by the fast-paced competition if you cling to the “this is how we’ve always done it” kind of thinking. The business environment today demands that you need to come up with new solutions ­ fast!

Listen to Your Customers

Be market driven: listen and react to your customer’s needs. Customers need to feel that they are important to you ­ because they are! When you focus on your customers and gain their trust, they will not only recommend you but they will also remain loyal to you. Remember, personal recommendation and word-of-mouth are the least costly yet most effective marketing strategy for your business.

Plan For Success

An entrepreneur should understand the power of planning. A good plan helps you increase your chances of succeeding and can help you define your business concepts, estimate costs, predict sales and control your risks. It tells you where you are going and how to get there. Going into business without a plan is like driving into a foreign land without a road map.

Be Innovative

Innovate your offerings constantly, keeping pace with technological changes. Use change as a springboard to improve your products, procedures or reputation. Innovation should also cover your operations ­ from pricing, promotion, customer service, distribution, etc. Keep your eyes for new ways of doing things, and apply those that can improve the quality of your products and efficiency of your operations.

Work Smart

As an entrepreneur, you need to possess self-confidence, plus a never-ending sense of urgency to develop your ideas. Studies have shown that the individuals who succeed in entrepreneurship are far-sighted and can accept things as they are and deal with them accordingly. They know how to manage their time, realizing the importance of leisure in as much as work.

These people are oftentimes quick to change directions when they see their plans are not working. More importantly, they recognize their weak points and move on to nurture alliances and acquire the skills they need to put their business on the right track. They realize the importance of working smart, knowing that it is not the quantity of work you do, but what you do and how well you do it.