January Guest Blogger - Allyn Cutts

The amazing thing about the web is I have met some amazing people virtually. Allyn Cutts is one of those people. I started receiving Allyn's articles about a year and a half ago and we have exchange a number of emails. He always has something very appropriate and applicable to say in his weekly article and I have shared his insightful information I don't know how many times.

This week's article was so good that I asked Allyn to be this month's Guest Blogger. His strategy makes a lot of sense and as we all begin a new year, very applicable as we examine how to develop deeper more meaningful connections and relationships with our clients and customers. Enjoy the post and drop Allyn a line at Allyn@allyncutts.com if you want to learn more about his company and to sign up for his weekly articles.
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THE PERFECT CUSTOMER

Let’s get right down to business. Grab a pencil and list 10
things you know that you know about your customers. While
you’re doing that, listen up...

I once knew a great business woman who owned a bridal shop outside a small city in the northeast. She had a thriving business, was nearing retirement age, and didn’t really worry too much about growing. She placed sporadic ads, gave an annual bridal show, and let the chips fall where they may.

I asked her the same question... “What do you know about your customers?” She had it all down pat. Most of them were local brides who knew the reputation of her business and the family name. After all, she’d sold wedding gowns to half of their mothers!

I have to give her credit; she had gathered information about every bride that came through her doors. Every bride-to-be filled a little card out before trying on a gown (no bribe needed for that one). The problem was that she hadn’t paid a bit of attention to the goldmine she had buried in her filing cabinet.

Nearly one-fourth of her customers were from a big city about 150 miles away. How did that happen? Their families owned camps in a nearby forest. Their periodic visits brought them past her shop where they stopped in, discovered that the prices were unbeatable and bought!

The moral of the story is that accuracy counts... especially for small businesses striving to keep one up on the competition. No matter how long you’ve been in business, or how successful your business is, it still pays to ask the consumer the questions you think you know the answers to.

Finding out the TRUTH about your consumers may very well be the most profitable decision you make this year!

Do you ever wonder who the “perfect customer” is? Stick around...


Allyn consults personally with clients to design and deliver
offline and online direct marketing strategies that focus on
metrics and measurable results. You can learn more about Allyn
Cutts at www.cuttsgroup.com or you can call 610.437.4106 between
10 AM and 4 PM Eastern Time Tuesdays and Thursdays.