6-1-17 Obtaining zip codes: A simple tool to learn about your customers

One of the most basic pieces of information you need when you have a store front business or a business out of your home is knowing where your customers live.

A simple method to answer this question is to create a system where you get the zip code of every person who comes into your business or contacts you to make a purchase.  This can be done on a computer or by doing listings and hatch marks on a piece of paper near your register (OK, I know this doesn’t sound very high-tech, but it works).

You can keep track of these zip code tabulations by the month or season, or after you have done a new advertisement or special promotion.

On Whidbey, I believe it’s especially important to know what proportion of your customers are local (and which are nearby vs. coming some distance to your business), and what proportion of visitors are from off-island.

Once you see the patterns, it can provide you with valuable information about where, geographically, to focus your advertising dollars. To build your local customer base, remember that you need to do everything you can to make each person who comes to your business feel welcome.