I'd Like to Talk to the Manager

If your small business has earned a devoted cadre of loyal customers, you can assume they have a vested interest in your ongoing success. They want uninterrupted, easy access to the products or services they love—and, therefore, want your company to thrive. But have you given your customers a way to help out?

"Generic fandom is nice," notes Andy Sernovitz at the Damn! I Wish I'd Thought of That! blog. "But most people don't know what you need, or how to start." Accordingly, he says, it's important to make clear, well-defined requests: "Don't ask for generic support. Ask for a single action. Just one. (Then another. Then another.)"

As an example, Sernovitz offers this postcard from the makers of flavored salt:

"Dear Bacon Lover," begins the message. "Thank you for your purchase of J&D's bacon flavored goodness. As a fellow bacon lover, please help us in our mission to make everything taste like bacon. If our products aren't in a store near you, follow the instructions on the right."

The postcard suggests three action points from fans of J&D products:

Place the postcard in the suggestion box at a local market.
Speak with the store's manager about carrying favorite products.
Feel pride for official membership in the "bacon revolution."

The Po!nt: "Your customers love you," says Sernovitz. "They want you to win." So enlist their aid by showing them exactly how they can make that happen.

Source: Damn! I Wish I'd Thought of That! Click here for the full post.

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