Customer Retention

According to a survey conducted by virtual events provider Unisfair, customer retention and acquisition are top priorities for marketing departments in 2010. 60% of the marketing survey respondents polled said new customer acquisition will be a critical focus next year, and 48% said there would be increased focus on customer retention programs.

So what are you doing to acquire new customers and increase retention rates? Marketers who were polled planned to use social media, search and email strategies. But what about surveys? I hope some of these marketers are including customer and client surveys in their marketing mix. If surveys aren't part of your 2010 plans, you definitely need to consider adding it.

Do you know why customers choose you over a competitor? What about why they stay with you or why they chose to leave? If you don't know the answers to these questions, then how can you possibly achieve your 2010 goals of increasing new customer acquisition and improving customer retention efforts? The answers to these questions should impact your marketing team and the decisions they make. If you find a lot of people are leaving because you're too expensive, you need to figure out how to provide more value. Your current customers can help guide you to where you provide them the most value - then you can hone in and tweak your messages.

No one expects you to magically know all the answers, that's why having an online survey program is critical. Conducting client surveys gives you a chance to get a better understanding of your current customers and profile the types of organizations and professionals who make the best customers. Then, you can create campaigns to go after those types of people.