while we were working to attract new customers

[Jahangir655]

So we reached out to get some PR.

We have developed our social networks.

We have made some partnerships and we have tried to develop word of mouth.

And, while we were working to attract new customers, we also invested heavily in customer service for our existing customers. We did this mostly on our own time because, well, we didn't really have any money.

We included a handwritten note in each box.

We include tasting notes on each wine, including foods to pair with each wine.

We included a card with each mailing asking people to spread the word about CellarThief.

It was a labor of love, and we earned incredible customer rich people database loyalty. We still consider some of our first customers friends today.

We started to gain momentum and make some sales. Then it was time to try to take the business to the next level.

Like many small businesses that started independently, we had little money and big competition. There were large online wine retailers and newcomers offering daily promotions on great wines. So we had to figure out how to stand out and quickly understand the math of our business.

Ultimately, no matter how passionate you are about a business idea, you need to understand how to attract customers . And, with competition so fierce in almost every industry on the planet, you need to discover a channel you can win and own.