Customer Development: Oil Changes

Certain industries do an outstanding job of Developing Customers.

Maybe you buy tires at Les Schwab or Discount Tires or Big O Tires if you live out here in the West. How often do you need tires? Certainly not every year.

So what does a Tire Brand do to foster Customer Development?

Yup - you need an oil change. To keep you loyal and active between infrequent tire purchases, your local tire brand has all sorts of merchandising strategies designed to keep you active, moving you along the Customer Development spectrum from Welcome to Loyalty.

Alignments come to mind as well.

Your company has similar tactics available to you. Just use them! There's no need to destroy gross margins by offering 40% off everything in a desperate effort to improve response/conversion. Craft your own Customer Development strategy using the merchandise you already offer. Get busy!!