When asked to rank the importance of price on a scale of one to five, customers typically put it somewhere around the middle behind value, which is usually number one. So while offering the lowest price is an important factor in your favor, your customers will be swayed by other benefits they consider to be of equal or greater importance. Easy ordering is vital when your busy customers have other suppliers at hand. If customers must play phone tag with you or encounter other sales barriers, they'll quickly move on. If others deliver electrical supplies in 48 hours or less and you offer same day delivery, for example, you'll have a definite marketing advantage.
Reliability is a vital and highly marketable feature.
Have at least the same number of products available as your chief competitors, or customers may assume your business is too small to depend on regularly. Build these elements as well as cost savings into your marketing message and then set up an ongoing program that includes contact with your database at least every six weeks. It takes an average of eight contacts with a prospect before a sale is closed. So if you're not continually asking for the business, you can bet your competitors are. Communicate via direct mail, broadcast fax, telephone and in person.