"Always Remember Your Customers - How The Personal Touch Goes A Long Way Toward Building A Sustainable Business"

By David J. Ciemny

You're standing in line at the grocery store.  As the line advances and you put your groceries onto the automated belt, you glance up at the clerk who is busily swiping items for the lady in front of you.  Her name is Darlene and in case you forgot, it appears on her name tag.  You know she has helped you before, in fact, possibly dozens of times but you could not remember her name.  When your turn arrives, Darlene greets you with a warm smile. You enter your preferred loyalty rewards card number and Darlene says, "Hi Joe, how have you been?  And how's that little boy of yours, he hasn't been in with you in awhile?"  You reply that your boy is only with you on the weekends these days, but things have been great, thanks." Meanwhile, you cannot help thinking how nice it was that Darlene knew your name (even if she hadn't mentioned it until your rewards number was entered) and that she had remembered you had a son, even  with the hundreds of customers Darlene rings up on a daily basis.  "Thanks for shopping with us Joe," she says as you steer your cart toward the exit, "We'll see you next time and bring that little cutie back soon!"

Consumers relate to every experience on a personal level, whether positive or negative.  The personal touch in business is a positive and proven way to grow customer loyalty in any retail business.  Use of the personal touch in the network marketing profession is no exception, and is important for long-term sustainability.  It is also inexpensive.  By simply remembering a customer's name when you see them, their favorite hobby, or something about their children, it is possible to deliver that touch in a meaningful way.  It shows you care.

Since relationships are the core of the network marketing industry and more often than not, our customers are our closest friends, relatives or co-workers, it makes sense that the personal touch should come as a natural function of the relationship you have with them.  However, as your business grows and the amount of loyal product users increases, friends of friends will join your business and it will be easy to forget the importance of reaching out to others to cultivate these relationships. 

As you continue to work and grow alongside those you have sponsored into the business, it is only natural that you should get to know those whom they have sponsored.  After all, they are in your team. As is common in our industry, there are going to be loyal consumers of the product who have little interest in building or growing a team. These are the people we often take for granted because, while they may be consistently ordering, they are not building.  It is important, however, that these customers not be overlooked. Be sure to take a little time out to get to know some of them.  It could be as simple as a thank you card for anyone who has been in your business for a year.  Maybe it is just a quick email or phone call of gratitude, with no ulterior motive. These personal touches will go a long way.

The reason you continue shopping at the same grocery store week after week may not be specifically because of Darlene and the warm greeting and smile she gives.  That store might just be the closest one to your home or it might be the only store that carries your favorite brand of wine, but the loyalty you have should never be taken for granted.  The air of comfort and familiarity you have as a customer is because you feel remembered, appreciated and most of all, noticed.  These things can cause your loyalty to last for years. Always remember your customers and they will remember you remembered.

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