Often in small business marketing, focus is on implementing marketing tactics to attract new customers to your business.

However once they become customers, do you actively pursue activities that will expand on their relationship with your business?

Simple marketing tactics can be implemented to maximize the relationship your customers have with your small business or brand which will lead to increased sales and profit.

Before you select the marketing tactics it is best to ask yourself these questions:

• What percentage of your customers’ needs and desires do you currently fulfil?
• What additional sales revenue could you get if you simply sold an additional product or service to your current customers?
• Which target customer group represents the greatest opportunity for up sell?

By answering these questions you should have a greater idea what is the potential opportunity for your small business.

Examples of marketing tactics to expand on the relationship you have and to get them to buy more include:

Multiple Purchase Discounts: This should be for a limited time only whereby your customers receive a discount if they buy a certain quantity of your product or service at the one time.

Multipacks: This is simply the grouping of like products or services together to make it easier for customers to buy more.

Sampling/Free Offer: Give them a sample of another product with their next purchase. If you are launching a new service you could offer a limited time free offer for them to trial the new service.

Email or Newsletters: Information and offers can be easily communicated to your customers who are not buying the whole range of your products and services. This can also be highly targeted to ensure that the customers are receiving information that they would likely to be interested in.

Customer Surveys: You can conduct simple surveys either face to face, by email or use online surveys to find out more about your customers need and desires. Their responses may highlight the reasons why they may not be purchasing your product or service as often as they could be during the year. The responses can also highlight opportunities to promote other products or services in your range.

Website: This is of course fundamental, however instead of just listing your products or services why not group them based on your customers needs, past behavior, desires etc.

How do you get your customers to buy more from you?

About the Author:  Susan Oakes

Susan Oakes is the founder of Marketing for Business Success Pty Ltd and M4B Marketing. Susan helps small businesses get and stay on the path to marketing success. The core is building and strengthening key customer relationships and keeping marketing simple to get greater results.

Link to Susan's website for more info.