Stop! Put down that pen. Don't sign off on another new item for your business until you have accomplished a key element to increase sales - meeting customer needs! In the last few articles we have talked about micro marketing and integrating your message through every aspect of your powersports dealership. Both strategies are essential to success yet both rely on a basic building block, that is, knowing your customer needs. The biggest advertising budget in the world is worthless if an owner doesn't really know his customer and his highest level of need. The successful business today, one who is experiencing the joy of increased sales, is the one who knows the customer, the need and then creates and integrates sales programs that address that need.

Far too many businesses make the mistake of offering sales programs that may approach the customer well up front but really do nothing to satisfy the needs and offer solutions. What's the point of rewarding your customer with a handy dandy seven-function clock radio when her real need is to buy one more pair of jeans for her rapidly growing son? That's just what a large retail store has done with its program that awards future discounts for customers who purchase frequently in the children's clothing department. Under the program, customers' purchases are tracked in a point of sale computer database until their purchase total reaches a certain amount. At that point, the customer is rewarded with a percentage discount on the next purchase. The amount of the discount is proportionate to the level of purchases accumulated. Result? Customers are given incentive to buy and save, instead of receiving yet another radio to find a plug in for! Tracking research has shown that when customer redeemed their savings discounts, they were spending more money in the children's department than they had spent prior to implementation of the program. Challenge yourself to really meet a customer's need and reward yourself with increased sales!

DISCOVER THE PRIMARY CONSIDERATIONS

Before implementing any promotion or program however, we need to make sure we can effectively and tangibly meet the need. To do that, we must identify key considerations or the highest level of need. For example, the department store was able to define that people who buy children's clothing want value pricing, item popularity, brand selection and durability. Are you able to identify the highest levels of need for your CDM (Central Demographic Model) or in other words, the customers who have the greatest need for your products and or services? Typically, customers don't replace or upgrade a big-ticket item like a speedboat every six months; more likely, a high level of need will exist in the area of service. Do you know what it is your customers need and want in service? Is it free pick up and delivery? Is it on-site service within a certain mile radius? A regular service check every six months or every 2,500 miles for the first year after purchase? After identifying and studying the CDM for an upscale car manufacturer, I helped him improve his service and increase sales. We implemented the following sales programs that satisfied customer needs:

• Free maintenance service for twenty-four months built into the sticker price as standard equipment.
• Regular maintenance service at 2,500-mile intervals at the customer's convenience. The customer called the dealership to request service. A service technician logged the order, arranged to pick up the car at the customer's home in the evening after work. The vehicle was then serviced and back in the customer's garage before leaving for work the next morning.

Simple solutions that meet customer needs and increase sales. What customer wouldn't love to know his vehicle would be serviced while he slept and that it would be back in his driveway before the sun comes up? Can you imagine how sales might increase in the business where a pre-season and post-season check up were provided as a bonus with the purchase of a mountain bike? AND . . . . you picked up and delivered their bike after service! Consider offering a future purchase savings bonus for customer referrals. For example, if one of your customers refers another customer to you and a sale is completed, your original customer receives a special thank you card in the mail rewarding him with bonus points towards the purchase of accessory items. Remember; when it comes to customer satisfaction the key is not to just meet the need, rather to exceed expectations!

MAKE IT TANGIBLE!

It doesn't matter what business you may be in, the target is to narrow down your CDM, identify the highest levels of need and then meet and exceed the need. Just make sure the program you use to accomplish that can be seen in the minds of your customers and then be tangible. A freebie mini-clock radio just doesn't fit the bill. I know of a couple whom recently purchased a family mini-van at an upscale dealership. Not able to purchase a brand new vehicle at the time, they opted for a pre-owned model. Their greatest level of need was not a new van, but for a more moderately priced one with the assurance that repair costs would be minimal. The dealership offers a warranty program that guarantees for the first six months of ownership, they pay 50% of any service and repairs. As a result, the couple ended up buying another vehicle at the same time! Meet the need - increase sales!

Source: Thom Winninger link