ABC of Sales

This is a simple, effective way to separate and prioritise your active clients (paying customers). There are some that will buy from you often or in big amounts. Ideally both. These are your top 20% and they’re your VIPS. Keep in touch with these people asoften as you can as soon as you recognise who they are. Give them rewards for buying from you so that they have no reason to look elsewhere, or if they do, they’ll know they won’t get the same attention they get from you.

Then there are your B clients. These people are good buyers too, they’re you’re next 30 to 40%, only they don’t buy as often or in the same quantities. If you’re calling or visiting your A clients every month, then you’ll call on these people every six weeks to two months. (I don’t prescribe a specific timeframe but the ones here are I recommend as minimum.)

Your C clients might not buy very often and they’ll amount for your final 40 to 50% of sales, obviously being the lowest in volume and frequency. You might be in touch with these people by phone only, every two to three months. Time is your greatest resource in sales, and even more so if you’re the business owner. Treat all people with respect, but be mindful of spending time on people who are willing and able to buy what you have to offer. These clients should all be on your database as another way of staying in constant contact.

This is an excerpt from my forthcoming book, 'Marketing Makeovers: How to Bring in Big Money for Your Small Business.'
 
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To Your Sales Success
Michael Neaylon
 
michael@mcme.com.au