Small, Local Businesses Winning Customer Loyalty
A recent survey commissioned by The UPS Store and Mail Boxes Etc. found that American consumers still value courteous service … and those consumers believe that small businesses are doing a good job of providing it.
About 77 percent of the survey’s respondents rated small businesses as excellent or good at providing courteous service, and 74 percent rated them excellent or good for being knowledgeable and professional.
The survey also found that being small and local can work to the favor of many business owners. Results showed that 93 percent of Americans say supporting local ownership of small businesses continues to factor into their buying decisions.
Local small businesses are also getting credit for contributing to their local communities. Overall, 63 percent of the survey’s respondents thought that small, locally owned businesses did a good or excellent job in the area of supporting local causes and charities.
“These results reinforce what we’ve known over the 25-year history of our business,” says Stuart Mathis, president of franchisor Mail Boxes Etc., Inc. “Even when the name on the storefront reflects a globally recognized brand, people continue to value and support locally owned businesses, which represent the entrepreneurial spirit on which this country was founded.”
What You Can Do
Maybe your small business is a local franchise of a bigger brand. Or may you own a small independent business that caters to a local market. Either way, you can build customer loyalty – and your profits – by promoting your local business roots. Here are three tips:
1. Get your small business involved with the community. Participate in food drives, park clean ups, fundraisers for local charities and special community events. Ask that your business name be included in any publicity that lists sponsors or participants. Print your business name on T-shirts and wear the shirts to the event. If you take a vehicle to the event, get a magnetic sign made with your business name and attach it to your vehicle.
2. Tell everyone in the community that your small business is “Locally Owned and Operated.” Use those words every chance you get:
3. In your sales and marketing, emphasize your local and personal customer service. Get to know all of your customers by name, and encourage your employees to do the same. Periodically send personalized postcards to customers thanking them for supporting the local community by doing business with you
