Keeping long-term customers does many things for your business, outside of provided reliable income. Three NRHA Professionals share their tips for maintaining customers for the long haul.
By Jennifer Paulson
A full barn is a full barn, in many respects. But a barn full of longstanding customers can be a major key to your success in business. Many experts say it costs five times as much to get a new customer as it does to keep a current one, including all the marketing costs to attract newcomers. That can make a massive difference in your bottom line, not to mention help you sleep better at night knowing that you understand exactly what your customers expect out of you because you’ve known them for years.
We spoke with three established NRHA Professionals—David Hanson, Kari Klingenberg, and Shane Brown—to determine key elements that can help you keep your customers in your barn and participating in your program instead of taking their reining horses somewhere else or—worse—trading in their horses to take up hobby boating or another high-end pastime.
In this article, they’ll cover:
Part 2: Understanding Their Goals
Part 4: Location and Consistency
Understanding Their Goals
Part of the communication effort entails understanding a customer’s goals and how they align with your own. Goal-setting is a major component of Klingenberg’s program.
“We spend a lot of time identifying each rider’s goals,” she said. “We both need to understand why they’re doing this. Is it for fun? To compete? Or is it a business endeavor? The horses are a job for us, but it’s their passion and hobby. Knowing why your customers are involved sets everyone up for success.”
Regular goal-setting sessions help riders feel confident that you’re on the same page, help you track benchmarks, allow you to reset and refocus when needed, and show a vested interest in your customers’ success and reaching their goals.
“If you can help a rider reach their goals, it builds your reputation,” Hanson added.
Read the rest of this article at the links above.
