RSS FeedShrink Your Refunds
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This week's topic will be covering the follow-up method after the sale has been made. The best way to continue having regular clients is to create a trust. With a product that sells well, you can expect to see refunds. Refunds are a red flag that something in your sales method is not working. We will be addressing how to see less refunds as well as taking advantage of issuing refunds.
If you really want to go the extra mile with customer service, I would highly recommend phoning your customer. It takes 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Preferably, make the follow-up call at the end of the day after receiving their payment and thank them for their order. It is also a good idea to prepare what you are going to say, whether it be with a live person or a voicemail. I do this with a lot of my clients and it works extremely well. You or your assistant should do these calls. It will really give you that extra edge in and raise you above the competition. People really appreciate those kinds of things.
Another tried and true method is the stick letter. The stick letter will be sent to the customer at one stage or another, for example, along with the product, in an e-mail, fax, or even just sending them to a website. You want to keep your company and product in the mind of the customer; not forgotten. Often times, clients purchase out of a whim or impulse which often result in refunds. The stick letter is the opportunity to convince the customer that they made the best investment and that the product will be everything that they expected. In addition, you need to take an extra step and make an exciting offer to your customer. This extra step will make the difference between the mediocre seller and a professional high income seller. Because your clients trust you and know that there is a live human being behind their transactions, they will even refer their friend to your business.
A proven item to offer is a gift certificate. Yes, it does take some of your time. It could be a gift certificate to another product you have. It could be a gift certificate to a consultation, a percentage, or smaller version of your service. My personal time is valued at $600/hour for a one-on-one consultation. If I turned one of my consultations into a gift certificate for a twenty minute one-on-one consultation, that would be a $300 dollar value! Now, in order for them to claim that gift certificate, they need to take some action steps and, for example, fax it in before a certain date. The thing is, they've got this printed gift certificate in the box with the rest of their product, and they think, "Wow! This is a huge value. I didn't even know this was coming." A lot of times, they're not going to take the necessary action , but they still have that perceived value. These unexpected gifts will impress a customer, even though they may not take the offer. Statistically, clients will not claim their gift certificate, but because you've added value to your entire product, your customer will feel that your company is striving to give them the best offer and will convert to being your lifelong customer.
Issuing refunds can also hold great customer relations value. Refunds are a great opportunity to connect with the customer and offer them a different product at a discounted price. For example, you send a customer their refund check and also send them a sales letter telling them about a similar product or even an affiliate product. Furthermore, you can give some sort of incentive so that they will go on the internet to fill out a questionnaire. The questionnaire itself can be peppered with ads for your or affiliate products that they may become interested in. These are just some of the methods I use to minimize refunds as well as taking advantage of refunds. Any situation can be turned into an opportunity!
By: Segovia Smith
Segovia Smith gives you information on all things from Affiliate Marketing, to Web Traffic Conversion and all things related. Go to: http://www.howimademyfirstdollar.com, and remember to get your free MyFirstDollar Membership!