Todd Schnick, Intrepid Group, LLC

Marketing is the art and science of getting - and keeping - profitable customers. Most of us understand the getting part. We just seem to not understand the keeping part. Oh sure, we understand the concept - but we don't take the necessary steps to implement a program for keeping our profitable customers.

Building a long-term relationship with a customer, developing long-term loyalty, can mean a lot of things. Simply put, it means having repeat business - customers who buy from you again and again - which means profit for your business. And if you get a lot of those - you are building a sustainable growth enterprise. But it doesn't just happen. You need to exceed your customer's expectations.

Your product or service offering MUST provide a real value to your customer. And it has to solve the problems and challenges they face. You likely closed the initial sale by promising that your product or service would solve a problem - or fulfill a need. In the end - if your product or service fails to deliver - you will not likely achieve repeat business.

The customer has to experience sterling customer service. Phone calls have to be returned. Deadlines have to be met. Promises, however small, have to be kept. One slip up can cost you any potential for repeat business. These seem like little things - but they are essential to your overall marketing success.

The customer cannot just be satisfied. Your customer has to be DELIGHTED!

But you can take this to the next level too - in addition to just providing an excellent product and superior customer service. You can deploy some tactical tools to show your appreciation - and have them coming back for more. Send them personal notes thanking them for their business. Hey! Novel idea - but rarely done.

Acknowledge their birthday or anniversary. Or give your customers a chance to offer you feedback on their experience - and implement their suggestions. And if a customer gives you a referral - in addition to thanking them - offer them a price break on their next purchase. You can also give them some promotional item that not only will demonstrate your appreciation - but secretly continue to market your business!

These few examples of some tactical ideas - that anyone can implement - are things that your customers will appreciate. At the end of the day - the concept of creating an environment where you will get repeat business is an easy concept to understand. But it takes action on your part to make it happen. Get to work!