14 Oct 09 Gaining and Keeping Your Customers Trust – Part 1
Building customer trust is key in any business undertaking and all the more so for meeting planners. Did you know that approximately 70% of revenue comes from established customers? Established customers trust your business. They are comfortable coming to you because of your shared history and track record.
Attracting new customers can be difficult. For one thing, consumers are more savvy than a decade ago. Increased knowledge combined with increased financial worries makes it difficult for new customers to take a risk on your services. That does not mean it is impossible to win their business, meeting planners just have to be more mindful of establishing customer trust.
Building a rapport with new customers takes time but is well worth the effort. New customers must have a way to contact you whenever a question arises. That may mean sharing your personal cell number and indulging in some hand holding.
Keep your communications clear and to the point. It is vital that both sides understand the demands of the upcoming event and maintain their focus. Too much information can be as big a handicap as too little. Sell the first event before you plan the second.
Part 2 of this blog will explore other factors in gaining and building customer trust.
Tags: Attracting New Customers, Blog, Building Trust, Business Meeting, Business Undertaking, Consumers, Customer Trust, Customers Trust, Decade, Financial Worries, Focus, Handicap, Meeting Planners, Personal Cell, Personal Number, Rapport, Risk
14 Jul 09 How the Travel Promotion Act Will Help Meeting Planners
Although government guidelines for bailout companies have hurt the travel industry in many ways, the recent (June, 2009), bill S. 1023 holds promise that there will be help in the offing for the travel industry in general. This will eventually hit the meeting planner market. Here is how it will work.
The Act will contribute $425 million towards reducing the United States budget deficit over a decade’s time. It will increase jobs, stimulate the economy, and add to our tourism reputation. How much will it cost U.S. taxpayers? Zero.
S. 1023 will be paid for by a combination of contributions from private sources, plus a $10 charge for all foreign non-visa travelers to the U.S. Despite the challenges of an ongoing conflict between Republicans and Democrats, this bill has been popular in both camps. (more…)
Tags: Bailout, Conflict, Decade, Dollars Each Year, Foreign Travel, Government Guidelines, Meeting Planner, Meeting Planners, Partnerships, Private Sources, Promotion Act, Republicans And Democrats, Reputation, Taxpayers, Thousands Of New Jobs, Travel Industry, Travel Planners, Travel Promotion, United States Budget, United States Budget Deficit
Advertisement
Corporate Meeting Planner Resources
- Cruise line Expansion in Chinese Market Good News for Meeting PlannersChina is becoming a popular destination for MICE events due to its rich cultural heritage, beautiful natural landscapes and most of all - its high economic growth. Everyone wants to do business in China right now. Naturally, that translates into lots of meetings, trade shows, conferences and other events. According to The China Incentive, Business […]
- Time to step out of the ZoneSo often we find ourselves repeating the same patterns both professionally and personally because it feels “safe”. While that perceived safety may or may not be real, it explains why so many people feel their lives are in a rut. It is that comfort zone that so many long for that ultimately is their worst enemy. In order […]
- Stimulating Your Attendees in a Positive WayAfter reading the article Boost the Brain Computer, Don’t Crash It, I got to thinking about how foods definitely have an effect on mood and concentration. Anyone who has ever seen a child at a birthday party, loaded with candy, snow cones, cake and soda can attest to the fact that while the sugar will […]