Customer Needs – Part 6:

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Following on from the last two posts about ‘Sharing’ and ‘Giving’ I want to look at the third initiative – ‘Co-Create’.? Now is the time to ‘get out of the box’ and look for synergy – remember the equation 2 + 2 = 5?? The total is greater then the sum of the parts – that’s synergy!? Can you work with other businesses or organisations in your area to provide something else or something different or alternatively, can you deliver something different or in addition to what you already supply?

How about linking with a local flower arranger to have some of their products available in your store?? They could be on a sale or return basis so that you had no financial commitment.? Think laterally, what else could you add in that would a) attract more customers and b) generate more income?? Some stores have now installed ATM Machines where local people can get cash from their account and, hopefully, spend some of it in the store!? However, a note of caution here, many of these systems have a high commission rate for withdrawing money, the average seems to be around ￡1.50 but I have seen some as high as ￡3 – so if you offer this service don’t then give the impression that you’re ripping people off who use it!

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Another option is to look and see if there is another product or service that you can promote exclusively in your business that links directly to the products you already sell?? For example, if you sell trade goods can you link into local tradesmen and allow them to advertise their services for free in your store?? There is also the option of a ‘referrals’ service where you can display testimonials from satisfied users of their services.? This could even be on a display screen which scrolled automatically showing both the testimonials but also interspersed with details of your own products and offers.

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Nothing sells better than a user’s recommendation.? If your customers get this level of interest and commitment from you it is fair to say that they will give you something back in return e.g. their business!

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If you would like a copy of my book – You don’t get many drugs for a cauliflower – it is available on Amazon for ￡9.99, however if you respond to this article with a DM, you can have one for ￡4.99 including post and packaging.