I left the house early this morning, thinking I would take photos of some of Sligo’s nice spots before getting into work. After realizing that I left the camera behind at the house, and because I had an hour to kill before work, I pulled in at the Sligo Park Hotel. Now the last time I was at this hotel (which was probably 2 years ago now) I had to go up to the front desk and pay to use the Internet. This always bothered me about hotels (and airports). So I wasn’t expecting much.
To my delight, the WiFi was abundant (and free) this morning. I was also given a free cup of coffee and greeted cordially by several passing staff members. In short, the whole experience was very positive, comfortable and productive.
I wasn’t a paying customer, but that didn’t matter. And it shouldn’t. By treating non-customers (or non-paying customers) well, you are marketing your experience to potential buyers. You are also turning those non-customers into buzz agents, who will recommend you to others. The next time somebody asks me to recommend a good place in Sligo to pull up for a quiet spot and free WiFi; I will more than likely refer them to the Sligo Park Hotel, simply because of my experience this morning.
We do a similar thing with our software and services, offering free versions for all of our eMarketing products. Some people upgrade to our paid versions. Others continue to use the free editions for years. We also support those non-paying customers when they need help with something. Not providing service to non-paying customers who visit you is a good way to encourage them to try someplace else. We receive quite a few referrals from our non-paying customers.
How do you treat your non-paying customers?
