Have you ever bought something because of a logo that you couldn’t get out
of your mind? Or called a number because you saw the logo and it reminded
you of the business?

That’s marketing in action. Logos are a great way to instill in your
customers’ minds your product and your business. And they’re limitless in
their options and uses.

First of all, you’ll need to come up with a logo that’s simple. The more
complicated you are, the less likely it will be for a potential customer to
recognize it from the others. Find something that incorporates your business
and would be easily recognizable. If you offer pet supplies, then a cat or a
dog might be good. If you are involved with music, an instrument or a
musical note might be good to incorporate.

Put that symbol along with your business name and contact information on
anything. Make sure it’s in all of your advertising, but then you can also be
more creative with it. You business card should include it, as should any
other materials that might go out to a customer.

Include the logo into your website and your order forms. You may want to
give out free shirts bearing your logo to those that make purchases from
your business. When these shirts are worn, they offer free advertising for
you, and a nice gift for them.

Other fun ideas for your logo include gifts of refrigerator magnets or stickers.
Anything that a customer might use on a daily basis is also a great place for
a logo—staplers, pencils, lens, pads of paper, calendars, mugs, glasses,
bags, etc. Find something relatively inexpensive and put your logo on it.
Not only will customers remember you because of this freebie, but they’ll
also be using the logo-embellished product around others and create
opportunities for new customers.

Some businesses have incorporated a logo onto large magnets that can
‘stick’ onto the side of their cars. When you’re sitting in traffic, potential
customers can see your magnet and decide if they are interested. The only
trick with this is that they may not be able to write anything down. In this
case, having an easy-to-remember phone number or email address can help
generate more responses.

Logos are a great way to get noticed and to remain in your customers’
thoughts. Think of large companies and their logos—the ‘swoosh,’ for
example. Logos work. Find yours.

MAKING THEM MORE THAN A CUSTOMER

When you treat a customer like a part of your family rather than an
opportunity to make money, it shows. You might not realize it immediately,
but those that you treat with respect and personal attention are the
customers that you’ll keep for life.

Fact: It takes five times the amount of money to attract a new customer
than it does to keep an old one.

How can you make your customer feel right at home? First of all, don’t jump
right into the sale or the offer. This is how a lot of telemarketers have
problems. They don’t personalize the message, and thus lose the interest
quickly. The person who answers doesn’t feel like a person—they feel like
another number.

Start off with greeting your customer and introducing yourself. Even if
you’re not speaking with the customer in person or over the phone, you can
still take this step. You’ll want to make sure first that you’re spelling the
person’s name right, or pronouncing it correctly. Be friendly with a greeting
of ‘hello’ or ‘welcome’ in your ads or on your website. Introduce yourself and
your business. You want to give the feeling of talking just to talk, not with
any other purpose in mind.

Try to understand your customer and what they need from you. Again, this
isn’t just about your sales; it’s about finding some common ground outside of
the sales transaction. Perhaps you can relay a personal story or talk about
their needs. Feel their frustration and attempt to sympathize with it. This is
not about pity; it’s about feeling empathy for another human and
understanding their plight.

Of course, all of this is just what your customer wants to hear because it
makes them feel like your only customer. They will feel singled out, special
for the attempts to make them feel comfortable and heard, rather than
having advertising shoved down their throat. When you’ve identified what
your customer needs, be sure that they get it.

Everyone likes to talk about themselves, so when you’re talking with
customers, ask their opinion, make sure they know that they are heard and
respected. They are a part of the solution that you’re offering.

Run your business like you’re recruiting new family members rather than
clients. Try to establish a personal relationship with each customer that you
have. This doesn’t have to mean long, extended notes or updates about
your family, but it does mean that you take the time to get to know them
and then respond to them with courteous respect.