Poach an account from a competitor
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It's not sharp practice to try and relieve your competitor of a customer, it's business and they will be trying to do the same to you. There are things you can do to prise a good account from your competitor and add it to your client list. Plan your attackIf you have a particular customer in your sights, then plan your capture strategy: - Ask yourself why the customer would wish to transfer to your company? What is your unique selling proposition (USP)?
- List the potential benefits to the customer of transferring to you and write them a sales letter
- Make an opportunity to contact the customer directly - perhaps using telemarketing or a survey to introduce your company
- Make the most of mutual contacts to get in touch with your target
- Consider offering discounts on your products or added value to your service
Develop the relationshipTry to build a relationship with the customer - develop an understanding and dialogue with the key decision-maker within the company. Listen for any mention of your competitor's weak areas and capitalise on the knowledge by demonstrating how your business would address these issues. There are always times in any supplier/customer relationship where communication is lacking or strained. Look out for signs of these and make the most of them when they occur between your target customer and competitor. Complacency on the part of your competitor could also play a part. Use this to your advantage, making contact with the customer when your competitor is less likely to pick up on the early signs of a relationship. PresentationMake sure all your letters and mailings to the potential customer are well presented and professionally written. This is the 'shop window' of your company, and the customer's perception of the high standards of your company will be established through such written communication. Persistence and patience will win the dayDon't give up! Winning new customers takes time, sometimes years, but maintaining the lines of communication could well pay off in the end. However, be careful to strike the right balance between persistence and nuisance. Make the customer feel that you are the natural choice when they are reviewing the account and make it easy and natural for them to contact you. Have they got your telephone number and a contact name easily to hand?
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