The Competitive Edge
About The Competitive Edge
The Competitive Edge is the monthly, quick-read e-newsletter of AIM North America. It provides you access to information that will help you maintain your competitive edge and grow your business. This communiqué highlights current reseller, integrator, and distributor issues and market trends—a feature titled Headline AIM —along with member-specific news and information. Comments and suggestions are welcome. E-mail or call +1 724 934 5688.
A Message from the AIM North America Board of Directors
Whether you’re a reseller, system integrator, distributor, or manufacturer, a clear vision backed by definite plans is a vital component of success. As AIM North America sets out to support the needs of the automatic identification and mobility sales channel, it must think strategically and critically about the future. Above all, AIM NA considers it essential to sharpen its vision and focus its designated resources on those issues and programs that will strengthen AIM NA.
Earlier this year, the AIM NA Board of Directors identified issues that are crucial to the direction of the organization. Using these issues as a foundation, the board developed the AIM NA 2007 – 2010 Business Plan, a pioneering plan to guide the association’s efforts. This plan will serve as a powerful tool to help AIM NA make important decisions about its many activities and directions.
We are excited about this new endeavor and the promise it holds for AIM NA. We invite all stakeholders to join AIM NA in achieving these goals. Please take a moment to read the AIM NA 2007 – 2010 Business Plan for yourself.
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AIM NA Board of Directors |
| Mr. A. Tee Migliori, President |
Mr. David Stewart |
| Mr. Jack Tinsley, Vice President |
Ms. Michelle Kabele |
| Ms. Donna Lee |
Mr. Fred Dotson |
| Mr. Michael Lowry |
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Headline AIM: Seven Strategies to “Romance” and Keep Your Customers from Leaving
By Tony Rubleski, Mind Capture Group
The statistics are simple and quite sobering. It costs an average of five to six times more to get a new customer than to keep an existing one satisfied. This should be common knowledge for many in business but sadly it’s not the case.
What’s the #1 mistake most company’s make year after year? Not staying in touch with their customers as much as they could or should. The few businesses that truly understand the value of continual contact or what I term “romancing the customer” continue to grow and prosper regardless of what the economy or competition is doing.
If you went on a first date with someone and you really connected would you wait six months to a year to call or contact them again? Absolutely not! Why then do the vast majority of businesses in today’s market place behave this way? There’s no simple solution to this huge problem but I’d like to offer you some valuable marketing arrows to delight your customers with throughout the year.
Here are seven quick ways to keep your customers coming back again and again in 2005:
#1: Be fun to do business with. The landscape is littered with dull, mundane businesses that have no personality or fun. If you want to easily stand out from the crowd of competitors, make it fun to do business with you. Some examples: Have contests, parties, or special sales events.
#2: Communicate with special mailings, offers and announcements. Use mail, postcards, email and faxes to stay in regular contact with your customers. Yes, your customers do want to hear from you more. They already trust you and are likely to spend additional dollars if you give them compelling reasons why they should do so.
#3: Send hand written thank you notes. This is a biggie. Common sense and good manners are in short supply these days and this ties into good old fashioned thank you notes. It’s a simple, yet often overlooked, way to show that you really care about your customers. If you’re too busy to not acknowledge and use this strategy you’re missing out on a wonderful way to bond and “romance” with valued customers and prospects.
#4: Offer a strong guarantee. People are desperately looking for and are willing to pay a premium for quality goods and services. Time is precious and this is where a strong guarantee can help. Focus on common industry complaints as a starting point to craft a powerful, results driven guarantee that builds trust and goodwill.
#5: Have a professional answer your main telephone line. This one really gets me. Far too many businesses have someone who’s either rude, incompetent or poorly trained handling incoming phone calls. What’s the sense in running ads to generate responses only to lose the person because they couldn’t get an intelligent answer to their question or speak with someone who knew how to help them? Treat incoming calls like gold.
#6: Create and use continuity programs in your business. Simply put: Hook your customers into spending more money with you by using some sort of additional bonus or discount program based on number of visits, dollars spent, or purchases. For example, buy nine shirts, and get the tenth one free. Or, spend $100 and receive 10% off, spend $200 and get 15% off, etc.
#7: Educate them. Send them free reports, books, videos, useful letters or newsletter information and workshops that demonstrate to them again the value of doing business with you. People love to learn new ideas, strategies and knowledge that will improve their lives and the people around them.
Make this the year of romance within your business. These seven strategies will result in passionate customers, increased loyalty and growth to the bottom line!
Used with permission from Mind Capture Group, www.mindcapturegroup.com, 14864 Birchwood Drive, Spring Lake, MI 49456.
Tony Rubleski is currently the President of Mind Capture Group located in Spring Lake, MI. He is the author of the new marketing book titled, “MIND CAPTURE”. For questions, comments or future column ideas he can be reached at tony@mindcapturegroup.com.
What Does Patient Wristband, Patient Safety, Ticketing, and POS Scanners Have in Common?
They are all topics covered in industry white papers submitted by Hand Held Products. Like all AIM NA members, HHP are experts in their field and are pleased to share their collection of white papers pertaining to barcode, healthcare, POS, mobile computing, retail, security, and personal identity technologies. For complete details, simply download these materials from the AIM NA Document Library.
- HHP Redefining the Patient Wristband
- Tracking the Critical Link in Patient Safety
- Mobile Plus Ticketing
- Doing More with Your POS Scanner
To submit your position statements, case studies, reports, and white papers, visit http://www.aim-na.org/doclibrary.htm.
Online Advertising Opportunities Now Available
AIM North America has a marketing platform that includes website and electronic newsletter advertising programs customized to fit your marketing budget. With nearly 5,000 website visitors per month, AIM North America continues to a sources of sales channel information for our industry.
The electronic newsletter, The Competitive Edge, circulation is growing weekly. It is distributed regularly to nearly 3,000 subscribers and features current reseller, system integrator, and distributor issues and information.
For more information, contact AIM North America today!
UID and Government Compliance Webinar Slated for June 14
Plan now to join David Collins, industry expert and President, Data Capture Institute, as he provides insight and clarity about the complex UID requirements.
AIM Global and Data Capture Institute are proud supporters of this event.
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UID and Government Compliance
Thursday, June 14
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. EST
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AIM NA and AIM Global members can access this live, interactive, 60-minute session free of charge. Non-members may participate, but are charged a nominal fee. To learn more or to register, follow the links below.
Industry Events
Submit your events to AIM NA . Include your contact information, event name, dates, location, and website.
Member in the News
Hand Held Products Opens New Office in South Carolina. Learn more
AIM North America Announces the Appointment of Industry Leaders Learn more
Do you have a news item you would like to share? Simply submit your news release to AIM NA . It will be featured on the AIM NA website and in a future issue of The Competitive Edge.
AIM NA Welcomes
ID Integration
Join Date: 3/1/2007
ID Integration is a systems integrator with over 13 years of experience integrating Direct Part Marking DPM systems. Our expertise is integrating marking, reading and verification systems to permanently mark legacy and new parts with . . .
Smart Guard
Join Date: 5/8/2007
Smart Guard Inc. holds the patent to embed RFID, RF, or AM tags in the cover of a hard cover product (books, DVD cases, etc.), . . .
The AIM NA Advantage
Tired of Jumping Hurdles to Get Your Message Out?
Then look no further. AIM North America has teamed up with two communication providers who offer solutions to achieve your marketing and conferencing goals, and at an AIM NA reduced member rate!
- Marketing Services
CommPartners offer easy-to-use web-based tools that allow you to create and distribute custom-branded electronic communiqués such as newsletters, product announcements, or sale promotions without knowing HTML, database management, or other special skills. Visit http://aim.commpartners.com/ for complete details.
- Conferencing Services
Whether you’re planning a training seminar, customer conference call, or sales meeting, Premiere Global Services offers innovative conference calling and web conferencing services that are cost-effective and easy to use. Visit http://www.premiereaffinity.com/aim/services.asp to learn more.
Recent AIM RFP Postings—Did you know there were 6 recent inquiries posted on the AIM RFP services from individuals seeking your advice? If not, you could be missing out on valuable sales leads. Here’s just a glimpse of those postings.
- We are looking for a company to provide RFID sensor or other wireless technology to monitor low voltage electrical impulse. 28µV - 2.8mV range.
- I need someone to tell me what the field map is for the UPS (united Parcel Service) Maxicode-bar code and which barcode scanner would be the best for scanning over 100 packages a day.
- We have a need to identify what the cost (general ballpark figure for a DHS grant proposal) involved in having RFID for four of our response vehicles. It is very preliminary and need to get a sense of the dollars - nothing exact at this time.
- Support needed for a world wide electronic card account which can be used for highly secure PIN based money transfers, bill payments, online shopping and other services.
- We are working with a bar code solution, but need more accuracy in the identification. A lot of problems due to delays in the rows.
- In need of information for United States Steel corporation bar coding system for vendors - set up, equipment needed etc.
For complete details and how to respond, members can login .
Show Your Market Leadership by Displaying Your AIM NA Affiliation
Building creditability with your customers and having an edge over your competition is important. That's why AIM NA has made it easy for you to show your industry support by proudly displaying your AIM NA membership affiliation.
"Member of AIM North America" logo—Add the logo to letterhead, business cards, websites, or client brochures. To download the logo and read the guidelines for its use, visit the AIM Store at https://www.aimglobal.org/estore.
- "Member of AIM North America" Table Top Sign—Include the sign in your exhibit booth or at your company receptionist desk. Call or e-mail the office at info@aim-na.org.
- AIM NA Lapel Pin—Display this attractive silver lapel pin with the AIM NA logo to show pride in your membership. Call or e-mail the office at info@aim-na.org.
Direct Part Mark in the Automotive Industry Now Available for Download—The latest AIM NA webinar took a look at the DMP. Members can download the audio recorded session and accompanying PowerPoint presentation by visiting AIM Member Services at http://www.aimglobal.org/members/memserv.asp.
For information about these and other valuable AIM NA member benefit programs, visit http://www.aim-na.org/resources.php.
Just another way AIM NA is working for YOU!
Not a member? For the cost of a mere cup of coffee per day, your company can take advantage of these and other leading-edge benefits geared to keeping you on the forefront of the AIM industry. Learn more.
THE FINE PRINT
This e-newsletter is brought to you by the
AIM North America
125 Warrendale-Bayne Road, Suite 100, Warrendale, PA 15086 USA
Phone: +1 724 934 5688 ● http://www.aim-na.org
If you do not want to receive The Competitive Edge by e-mail,
please e-mail AIM NA.
