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Creating Goodwill with your Customers
by Joann Kyce
Thousands of articles have been written on the technical aspects
of e-business - marketing, promotion, cash flow, market trends,
outsourcing . . . and the list goes on. Your on-line business
depends on these kinds of technical matters, but it could still
fail if you don't also master the PERSONAL side of e-commerce.
There are many different incentives you can give your customers.
You can give them travel certificates, entries into sweepstakes,
or even cash awards. One of the best incentives you can give
your customers, though, is a simple show of GOODWILL. It
will do wonders for your business.
Goodwill is best defined as the feeling that customers get when
they know that you are acting in their best interest. In other
words, when you do something to HELP your customers, and they
know it, you are creating goodwill. Customers are much more
likely to trust a business that shows them goodwill, and they
will be more likely to give the company repeat business.
But how does one create or show goodwill to customers? Well,
there are no "tricks" to creating goodwill (and if there were,
it would go against the whole point!). There are, however,
some common-sense rules you can follow that will help show
your customers that you are on their side:
- Tell the truth - The fastest way to lose credibility and
goodwill is to be caught in a deception. Remember that
deception takes many forms -- even over-exaggerations can
be seen as being deceptive in the eyes of customers. If at
any time the audience feels like you are trying to manipulate
them, they will lose faith in your goodwill.
- Avoid "hidden agendas" - This is similar to the previous tip.
If you seem to be holding too much information back, it may
seem like you have something to hide -- some sort of hidden
agenda that does not involve the well-being of the customer.
The more open you can be with your customers, the more likely
they will be to feel goodwill.
- Take a "You" perspective rather than an "I" one - By focusing
on the customer and his or her needs, you will help show that
you care about them. If, on the other hand, your copy reads
like an autobiography, the message that will come across will
be one of self-interest.
For instance, instead of saying, "I can do this," say something
like "you will get this" -- by focusing on the customer in your
writing, it will show that they are foremost in your mind.
- Show similarities between yourself and your customers - Your
clients will be more likely to believe that you are acting in
their best interest if you can show that YOUR interests are the
same as theirs. Emphasize the similarities between yourself and
your customers -- talk about similar experiences you may have
had, similar situations you may have faced, and similar obstacles
you have had to overcome. The bond you can create by doing this
will be much stronger than anything standard advertising can do.
By creating goodwill with your customers, you are doing more
than gaining their business -- you are gaining their trust --
There isn't much that can help your business more than that.
Author Joann Kyce has been creating goodwill with her customers
by helping them find great solutions for big problems. To find
out more about the profit-making opportunities she offers,
please visit her web site at http://www.retirequickly.com/16071
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