How to Capture Customer Names
Capturing customer names is very simple, but most businesses simply don't ask for them. All your client's salespeople or clerks have to do is say, "And what's your name? What's your address? What's your city?" Ninety-nine percent of the customers will reveal it if they are simply asked. Just act like that's standard operating procedure. Have everyone at every point of purchase - your client's staff, clerks, whomever - do that. Or, if it's too busy for them to ask, have the customer fill out the sales slip while the sale is being rung-up. Just have the salespeople hand it to them.
Be sure to have salespeople take the time to delineate and indicate vertically and specifically what subject matter, products or services the customer is buying and the kind of price points sought. What they were interested in. If that's impossible, get their phone number from the charge card.
Every charge card today, almost, has gone to where businesses make you put your phone number on the charge slip. I bet none of the operating merchants in retail businesses ever capture those. If you are trying to build a list from past charge slip copies you can contact different services that translate the phone number to an address. You can use a Criss-Cross directory if the number is local. You can go to an outside service if it's not. You can use the Internet. You could have a contest where customers register. You could use a guest book that customers can sign (be sure to say please print).
I believe, as you know, in direct response that everything should pay its way. But the truth of the matter is just keeping your client's name in front of people gives him such an advantage over his competitors who don't. It's unbelievable. Once you know your client has a working database, it's simple. Sit down, write a letter and punch three buttons on the computer.
Posted January 31, 2005
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