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Saturday, October 11, 2008   [archives]
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WHAT IS YOUR STRATEGY TO FINDING AND HOLDING ONTO CUSTOMERS?

Drumming up new business is a daily challenge for hundreds of local businesses. Finding customers, convincing them that they need your product or service, di erentiating yourself from the competition – none of it is easy.

We gathered a group of Clark County business leaders with the help of the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce to talk about how they nd new customers and look for ways to grow, and about the challenges that are speci c to their business specialty.

• Find a niche that sets your product or service apart.

• Be ready to explain the nuances of that niche.

• If you’re local, use that to your advantage.

• Network, advertise and seek referrals.

• Develop strong client relations – customer service is key.

Cathy SholesCathy Sholes
THE HAMPTON ALZHEIMER’S COMMUNITIES

“One of our biggest challenges is explaining to the public what their options are. With Alzheimer’s, many people have an image of old-fashioned nursing homes. We have 85 employees, including nursing and professional staff, as well as people involved with planning activities. We keep abreast of the latest trends in care. It’s not always what people expect.”

Robert CydersRobert Cyders
GENESIS CONTRACTING LLC

“It’s a competitive industry, but I’m developing a niche. I specialize in senior care, geriatrics and projects for obese people. We can help with remodeling and adapting homes and businesses to meet their needs. e greatest thing I ever did for my business was come out and start generating leads with other business owners through networking groups.”

Doug MartinDoug Martin
SOUTHWEST OFFICE SUPPLIES

“This industry is very competitive. We’re locally owned, with 35 employees, but we’re competing with Office Depot, Staples. People love to work with a local company, as long as we can meet or beat expectations for service. The personal touch is important. I belong to the chamber of commerce and other organizations, and getting out and meeting people also helps.”

Dave DumasDave Dumas
JOHN L. SCOTT

“I’m an associate broker, and I have 75 coworkers. We’re all self-employed working under the banner of John L. Scott, and we’re strictly commissioned. I worked with 24 clients last year. Conveying to people what I do is a challenge. The typical client doesn’t know what full service is. I try to be the Nordstrom of this industry, to provide the highest level of service.”

Eyme RuggerioEyme Ruggerio
KELLER WILLIAMS

“Competition is a big challenge for real estate professionals. My specialty is people buying their rst homes, and sometimes they need extra hand holding. ey are o en in the lower price range. Commissions are a big issue. I have to build relationships with my customers, and it’s important to sell yourself, sell your services and let people know what you have to offer.”

Kris ThomasKris Thomas
COUNTY INSURANCE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES

“The best thing for me is networking. If you’re giving out leads, you’re getting leads in return. It’s also attitude and it’s also customer service. Many people don’t call back and they don’t listen. If you do what you say you’re going to do, that makes a big di erence.”

Mitzy TimminsMitzy Timmins
A SMILE 4 MILES

“I just need to get my name out there and explain to others the advantages of massage. I’m a one-person business and I travel to homes and businesses. Not everyone has heard of home massage therapy, so a challenge is explaining to people what I do differently, how I stick out. I have to get out there and talk to people.”

Jeff LeveenJeff Leveen
PADGETT BUSINESS SERVICES

“There are a lot of people who offer business services, but I don’t know that it’s very competitive. We develop really intimate relationships with our clients. To find the clients, it’s about meeting business owners through networking groups and also just by getting out into the community.”

Tim WilliamsTim Williams
DOUG WILLIAMS AND ASSOCIATES

“We’re one the biggest local Web developers, which gives us the ability to have experts in everything we do. It can be a competitive industry, but we’ve found you really just have to do it well. When we help people succeed, they refer new clients to us.”