Jackie and Ben, my favorite customer evangelists have revealed their Top Resolutions for 2005. My favorites are:
1. Gather more customer feedback. I will call at least one long-term or loyal customer every week. (Schedule it on your calendar now.)
2. Launch a blog. Focus it on issues affecting your customers or your industry. Be personal and topical. Do not let your PR department sign off on every post.
3. Be more authentic and personal. I will focus more of my email newsletters and website content on stories about customers, and less about branding my company as the savior of anything and everything. Secondly, I will refrain from all temptations to use jargon in my communications.
4. Offer at least one case study to an industry trade magazine about a successful marketing program my organization completed in 2004. (Ideally, it will discuss how the program created great word of mouth and customer evangelism.)
5. Communicate with my customers on a regular basis. I will thank them for being a customer and ask what I can do to improve our relationship.
7. I will speak to at least three groups and associations about issues and solutions affecting my industry and customers. I also resolve that my presentations will not be about me, my company or my products.
8. Invite my most enthusiastic customers into a special- access program, such as a customer advisory board, a VIP tour of company operations, a lunch with the CEO, or an invitation to beta-test new products or services.
