OPINION
you like them using them or not. I have no idea why I picked on bar ends, but you get the idea! Profitably. The final word in that definition but the one that we all need to achieve to stay in business! By adopting the first two principles, this final one becomes a little more achievable. Sure, good purchasing and tight cost control are still key of course (remember, your suppliers should be satisfying your needs as a customer too!) but an engaged, interactive and involved customer base will make loyalty and repeat purchases so much easier to attain and it makes your life a bit more fun as well! Customer retention is much cheaper and healthier than finding new ones. You may find that understanding your customers, stocking what they truly want and speaking the
language they want to hear will result in higher value orders whenever they pop by,
too.
CUSTOMER RETENTION IS MUCH CHEAPER AND HEALTHIER THAN FINDING NEW ONES. YOU MAY FIND THAT UNDERSTANDING YOUR CUSTOMERS, STOCKING WHAT THEY TRULY WANT AND SPEAKING THE LANGUAGE THEY WANT TO HEAR WILL RESULT IN HIGHER VALUE ORDERS WHENEVER THEY POP BY, TOO.
With regards to profit, I should perhaps address the elephant in the room. The cost of marketing is not as high as you may think. In fact, done correctly, it makes you money. I know I’m biased, but until you start spending on events, advertising, and other paid-for activities, the actual cost of marketing can be very little. Remember, marketing is a process, not an activity, and as such, you control that process the same as any other business function. So, as a marketer, I hope that I understand my customer and right now that’s you. You’re reading this in your own time and by choice (I hope), and I need to cut to the chase.
Tips and ideas for understanding your customer in 100 words or less:
Listen first, speak last. Get to know them and what they’re looking for. What bikes do they ride? How do they ride? Why do they ride? How much do they spend? Who are they? such as loyalty programmes and make it known what your duty of care is at all times. Make it a way of life in your work environment.
Welcome all feedback and extra chances to chat with your customers – no hard sell, just listen and pave the way to a sale.
That was 97 words, so there you go, a marketer that comes in under budget. We do exist. Once you have a marketing management process in place, then it’s time to look at how else marketing can help your business grow, but as with everything in life, you need a foundation on which to build. The greatest bike in the world will not go anywhere if you forget to fit the wheels.
Mark Almond is the owner of Red Cloud Marketing and a freelance Marketing Consultant to the international bike industry.
44 | May 2025
www.bikebiz.com
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