red what the catch was? 'Nothing, just take it away and give us feedback on what I think of it next time I am in? Fair enough, I did as told.

On my visit next month, he asked how I got on with the Shampoo. I was quite happy and told him so. And he said: 'do you know any of your friends who may want to try our service, and our shampoo - both free of course?'

Now, I been in marketing for a long time and understand that this is one tactic large companies use to get new customers. But he had gone way beyond that. He had made me fee

There are many examples of businesses able to increase their customer numbers overnight. Some have deep pockets and splash out on advertising. Others lower their prices or buy off the competition.

But these strategies are not viable for every business owner. Traditionally successful businesses have outlived their competitors by following strategies that charm their customers every so often. We all know that happy customers bring even more customers.

This is possible even today, and for any type of business - whether a brick and mortar store, a website promoting goods or the combination of both.

Many businesses are already stealing the customers from under the nose of their far bigger competitors - without spending anything on marketing or advertising. Would you be interested to find out how they do this?

It is called understanding your customer's hidden psychology. Remember this: all paying customers have one universal trait. They look for value for their money. Some customers are sophisticated enough and ask for more or indulge into bargaining. Others just pay the asking price and accept goods or service, but wonder whether they paid the right price or could get it cheaper elsewhere. Nevertheless, none of this group of customers is an entirely happy customer.

How you make a customer a truly happy customer so that he wants to bring his friends to your premises?

Here is a true story that happened to me.

I have been paying a regular once a month visit to my barber for many years. He runs a very successful saloon. I have been loyal customer not because he is cheap but mainly because I am accustomed to his service and I do not want to take undue risks elsewhere either. During the end of one of my visits a few months ago, as I had just paid for his services, he said: 'Would you like to take away our top of the line bottle of shampoo - for free?'

He gets his own range of toiletries manufactured which he sells in his own or other saloons. But I was not quite sure why would do such a thing. OK, his margins are high, but giving away some thing free had never happened before. Being skeptic, I gently inquired what the catch was? 'Nothing, just take it away and give us feedback on what I think of it next time I am in? Fair enough, I did as told.

On my visit next month, he asked how I got on with the Shampoo. I was quite happy and told him so. And he said: 'do you know any of your friends who may want to try our service, and our shampoo - both free of course?'

Now, I been in marketing for a long time and understand that this is one tactic large companies use to get new customers. But he had gone way beyond that. He had made me feel

mortar store, a website promoting goods or the combination of both.

Many businesses are already stealing the customers from under the nose of their far bigger competitors - without spending anything on marketing or advertising. Would you be interested to find out how they do this?

It is called understanding your customer's hidden psychology. Remember this: all paying customers have one universal trait. They look for value for their money. Some customers are sophisticated enough and ask for more or indulge into bargaining. Others just pay the asking price and accept goods or service, but wonder whether they paid the right price or could get it cheaper elsewhere. Nevertheless, none of this group of customers is an entirely happy customer.

How you make a customer a truly happy customer so that he wants to bring his friends to your premises?

Here is a true story that happened to me.

I have been paying a regular once a month visit to my barber for many years. He runs a very successful saloon. I have been loyal customer not because he is cheap but mainly because I am accustomed to his service and I do not want to take undue risks elsewhere either. During the end of one of my visits a few months ago, as I had just paid for his services, he said: 'Would you like to take away our top of the line bottle of shampoo - for free?'

He gets his own range of toiletries manufactured which he sells in his own or other saloons. But I was not quite sure why would do such a thing. OK, his margins are high, but giving away some thing free had never happened before. Being skeptic, I gently inquired what the catch was? 'Nothing, just take it away and give us feedback on what I think of it next time I am in? Fair enough, I did as told.

On my visit next month, he asked how I got on with the Shampoo. I was quite happy and told him so. And he said: 'do you know any of your friends who may want to try our service, and our shampoo - both free of course?'

Now, I been in marketing for a long time and understand that this is one tactic large companies use to get new customers. But he had gone way beyond that. He had made me fee

rs just pay the asking price and accept goods or service, but wonder whether they paid the right price or could get it cheaper elsewhere. Nevertheless, none of this group of customers is an entirely happy customer.

How you make a customer a truly happy customer so that he wants to bring his friends to your premises?

Here is a true story that happened to me.

I have been paying a regular once a month visit to my barber for many years. He runs a very successful saloon. I have been loyal customer not because he is cheap but mainly because I am accustomed to his service and I do not want to take undue risks elsewhere either. During the end of one of my visits a few months ago, as I had just paid for his services, he said: 'Would you like to take away our top of the line bottle of shampoo - for free?'

He gets his own range of toiletries manufactured which he sells in his own or other saloons. But I was not quite sure why would do such a thing. OK, his margins are high, but giving away some thing free had never happened before. Being skeptic, I gently inquired what the catch was? 'Nothing, just take it away and give us feedback on what I think of it next time I am in? Fair enough, I did as told.

On my visit next month, he asked how I got on with the Shampoo. I was quite happy and told him so. And he said: 'do you know any of your friends who may want to try our service, and our shampoo - both free of course?'

Now, I been in marketing for a long time and understand that this is one tactic large companies use to get new customers. But he had gone way beyond that. He had made me fee

ainly because I am accustomed to his service and I do not want to take undue risks elsewhere either. During the end of one of my visits a few months ago, as I had just paid for his services, he said: 'Would you like to take away our top of the line bottle of shampoo - for free?'

He gets his own range of toiletries manufactured which he sells in his own or other saloons. But I was not quite sure why would do such a thing. OK, his margins are high, but giving away some thing free had never happened before. Being skeptic, I gently inquired what the catch was? 'Nothing, just take it away and give us feedback on what I think of it next time I am in? Fair enough, I did as told.

On my visit next month, he asked how I got on with the Shampoo. I was quite happy and told him so. And he said: 'do you know any of your friends who may want to try our service, and our shampoo - both free of course?'

Now, I been in marketing for a long time and understand that this is one tactic large companies use to get new customers. But he had gone way beyond that. He had made me fee

red what the catch was? 'Nothing, just take it away and give us feedback on what I think of it next time I am in? Fair enough, I did as told.

On my visit next month, he asked how I got on with the Shampoo. I was quite happy and told him so. And he said: 'do you know any of your friends who may want to try our service, and our shampoo - both free of course?'

Now, I been in marketing for a long time and understand that this is one tactic large companies use to get new customers. But he had gone way beyond that. He had made me feel 'indebted' to give out names of some of my friends who he could contact to try out his services - for free.

Now my question is: If you got a call from a well known name asking you to try out their service for free, as well as collect a free goody bag, would you want to give it a try? Especially if your friend has happily tried them for years, are you likely to turn down the offer and distrust his recommendation?

Can you see the power of marketing? I know for a fact that 2 of my friends are now regularly using his services. What about the friends of his other customers? What about the friends of friends?

What did it cost him to acquire new customers? Almost nothing. They came along because they were offered a product or service that was perceived by them to be of higher value than they were able to get elsewhere.

Customers do not just look for cheap prices or the service with a smile any longer. They take these things as a given. If you want to steal customers from under the nose of much larger or a tougher competitor then be creative. Offer your customers some thing that they perceive to be of high value.

You do not need to go shopping to give some thing free. Many alternative are already available - just look around. But the most important thing to remember is: what ever additional you offer to your customers in exchange for either their money, referrals or leads - they must perceive it to be of high value. Else you will run the risk of being seen as a cheap stake.