Farmers who sell their products by directmarketing need to take the time to reflecton successes and failures in the business.Reflection is not enough, however. Changecan be difficult, but assessing what workedand what didn’t will provide successfuldirect marketers with the opportunity toanticipate and respond to customer needsand wants.

A successful direct marketer should workconstantly to find out what the consumerwants and develop products that satisfycustomer demands. When customers aresatisfied, they will not only return tosupport your business, but will also tellothers what you have to offer. Consumerinterests and demands should serve asproduction cues to farmers and foodmarketers. By knowing what customerswant, you can change production orpresentation strategies to better fitconsumers’ wishes.

Keeping customers satisfied

Customers are the lifeblood of yourbusiness, so it is crucial to maximizecustomer satisfaction. Some degree of

customer turnover is inevitable, butsuccessful food marketers will retainrepeat customers. It costs about five timesmore to bring in a new customer than tokeep an existing one.

Is customer turnover at a minimum? Beloware questions to help evaluate yoursuccess in keeping customers satisfied.

1. Do you realize the value of yourcurrent customers? These are your bestaccounts. They are quicker to buy andrequire fewer “special deals.” Nevertake your customers for granted!

2. Do you communicate to all yourcustomers that they are important?

3. Do you encourage customers to returnto your business?

4. Do you tailor your services to yourcustomers’ particular needs?

5. Do your customers call you when theyhave a tough problem?

6. Do you provide unique services thatyour customers would find difficult toduplicate somewhere else?

7. Do your customers feel that you areconcerned about their interests andwelfare?

8. Do you attempt to learn as muchabout each customer as possible?

9. Do you follow up to make sure ordersare filled quickly and accurately?

10. Do you follow up on complaints tomake sure the resolution wassatisfactory to the customer?

If you answered “yes” to nine or morequestions, you are a better-than-averagemarket operator. Below six is poor;between six and nine is mediocre. Surveysshow that a customer who has anunpleasant experience at your businesswill tell ten or more people about it.

Building a successful, positive image withyour customers enhances your overallcredibility. Living up to that image createsvaluable word-of-mouth publicity.Customers most often base theirpurchasing decisions on the advice ofpeople they know.

Complaints canimprove your businessCustomer complaints should berecognized as constructive criticism thatcan be used to improve your business.Work with all your employees on customerrelations regardless of the frequency ortype of contact they have with the public.Furthermore, develop a procedure forhandling customer complaints based onthe following suggestions:

■ Listen to customers and acknowledgecomplaints. Customers who complainexpect action.

■ Develop empathy and show concernfor the customer.

■ Ask questions to obtain details; solicitcustomers’ alternative solutions.

■ Resolve the action underlying thecomplaint.

■ When complaints cannot be resolvedimmediately, update the customerperiodically on the progress. Keep anotebook of promised actions.

■ Record the complaints and analyzethem periodically to determine trends.

Keeping thecustomers you servehappy can be yourbest marketing tool.

D I R E C T M A R K E T I N G I N W I S C O N S I N

A3811-1

Strategies to Attractand Keep Customers

Jody Padgham

Six ways to attract and keep customersThe following six strategies will help youattract and keep customers.

1. Offer quality products. Good qualityis the most important reason cited byconsumers for buying directly fromfarmers. Successful marketers keepcustomers with repeat sales of qualityproducts.

2. Cultivate good people skills. Attitudeis critical to your business success. Apersonal inventory of your skills,interests and goals will help determineyour personality and ability to relate toa wide mix of customers. People skillsare essential to direct marketers. Evenwith a sincere interest and desire towork closely with your customers, ifyou are not a “people person” yourchance for direct marketing success isslim. If you don’t have the people skillsneeded, see if another family membermight shine where you don’t. Don’t besurprised if one of your children turnsouts to be a sales “star.”

3. Know your customers. Tell them thatyou appreciate their business. Each ofus values someone who calls us byname or inquires about us or a familymember. The potential customer ismore likely to purchase from someonewho takes the trouble to offer apersonal touch.

4. Use attractive packaging. Packagingmay help make the sale for someproducts. You may want to reconsideryour package and label. Any holidayseason may also provide you anopportunity to spice up your regularproduct with a special touch.

5. Let customers try samples. Samplingis a very successful way to draw newcustomers to your product. Taking ataste of a product might convincesomeone that price doesn’t matter fora really good-tasting item.

6. Be willing to change. Consumers arealways looking for new products.Hundreds of thousands of new foodproducts will be introduced in theUnited States this year. The changes inmany of the products, while oftenminimal, offer something new ordifferent to attract customers. You mayneed to change your product, yourpackage, your advertising or display toincrease your appeal to customers.Grocery stores have found thatbringing in new products and morefrequent remodeling isessential to the success oftheir businesses. Monitoryour competition and bewilling to consider changesand new products based onyour judgment, experienceand your read of yourcustomers.

In conclusion, we recommend that youspend time thinking about the commentsand suggestions you have received fromyour customers throughout the season.Whatever you observe can help withdecisions about changes you can make toimprove your services and expand yoursales. Did you have many repeatcustomers? If not, why do you think that is?If you have a list of people that buy fromyou, consider sending out a survey overthe winter to ask for their input andsuggestions on your products or services.Are packages the right size? Productselection appropriate? Hours of operationokay? Anything they’d like that you don’toffer? Don’t forget to remind them to telltheir friends about your services.

Keeping the customers you serve happycan be the best marketing tool you have.

Copyright © 2005 by the Board of Regentsof the University of Wisconsin Systemdoing business as the division ofCooperative Extension of the University ofWisconsin-Extension. All rights reserved.Send copyright inquiries to: CooperativeExtension Publishing, 432 N. Lake St., Rm.103, Madison, WI 53706.

Direct Marketing in Wisconsin is a project ofthe Cooperative Extension EmergingAgricultural Markets team. The team’swork is supported in part by a USDA grant

(Agricultural Entrepreneurship-Wisconsin).For more information on the team’s workand Wisconsin’s new agricultural markets,visit www.uwex.edu/ces/agmarkets.

Adapted from a newsletter by Professoremeritus John Cottingham of theUniversity of Wisconsin-Extension. Editedand updated by Jody Padgham. Reviewedby Rami Reddy, UW-Extension directmarketing specialist, UW-Platteville.

An EEO/AA employer, the University ofWisconsin-Extension, Cooperative

Extension provides equal opportunities inemployment and programming, includingTitle IX and Americans with Disabilities(ADA) requirements.

This publication is available from yourWisconsin county Extension office or fromCooperative Extension Publishing. Toorder, call toll-free: 1-877-WIS-PUBS (947-7827) or visit our web site:cecommerce.uwex.edu.

Strategies to Attract and Keep Customers (A3811-1) I/2005

E M E R G I N G A G R I C U L T U R A L M A R K E T S