to them. Thats why one of the first pieces of advice I give to my clients is to capture your customers contact information at the point of sale. This process is done automatically in some businesses, but in others you must ask for your customers contact information.   If you have ever purchased an item at Radio Shack you know that the clerk always asks for your name, address, and phone number. They dont even give you a reason, they just ask for it. They just assume you will give it to them, and you know what? 98% of Radio Shack customers do give it, without any question. The process is so automatic that you feel that giving your contact information is just part of the purchasing process.   Every small business in America should be doing the same thing as Radio Shack. But to go one step further, you should be capturing your customers email address as well (assuming they have one). Capturing your customers email address is the "holy grail" of marketing because you can market to your customer again and again at no cost.   If your customer is reluctant to give you their email address, give them a bribe, such as a coupon for their next visit or something else of value. The effort to obtain your customers email address will be re-paid many times over.   Focus On Your Best Customers   Most businesses lose between 15 and 20 percent of their customers each year. Retailers lose even higher percentages. Depending on your business, a large majority of your customers lie dormant, having only transacted business with you once or twice. Your remaining customers are those that are loyal to you and from whom your profits can be significant. The old 80 / 20 rule certainly applies to your customer base; 20 percent of     Simple Spreadsheet Sample Demonstrating How to Identify Your Best Customers   your customers bring you 80 percent of your revenues. These 20 percent are your loyal customers that come back to do business with you time and again.   Some are even "hyper-responsive" customers that pull out their wallet any time you make them an offer. These are the customers that you should be focusing your time and energy on.   Several benefits result from concentrating on servicing these customers: Your marketing costs go down because you do not have to blast your marketing message to the world. This is called "spray-and-pray" and is a waste of your marketing dollars.   Your marketing efforts become more efficient because you are dealing with responsive customers, which increases your conversion rate (the number of shoppers that become buyers) dramatically.