“I sure didn’t expect that!” This is the kind of statement every small business needs to shoot for as regards how they treat a first-time customer. Give every first-time customer a reason to tell others about you and your business.

Overdeliver. Underpromise. Give all customers unannounced bonuses. Make certain your service outshines your promise. That simple strategy is loaded with upside.

Best of all, it is a strategy there for the taking. Why? Because 99.9 percent of all businesses do not pay even the slightest attention to this enormous opportunity. Many say they do. Their “mission statements” say they do. Their ads say they do. However, in the trenches of day-to-day business, they do not.

The main reason most businesses do not place the emphasis they should on first-time customers is because to do so takes time, effort and — that pesky “f” word — follow-up.

Follow-up tells you how you actually registered with your customer or client. It tells you if what YOU thought you delivered was more than what THEY thought they were getting. Here is the rub: Many times what your customer expects is NOT what you promised ... or thought you delivered.

Why? Because customers in today’s world have incredibly high expectations! Wally World and the big boxes have created absolute monsters of some customers out there.

The prevalent big box retail culture spends huge sums to train customers to think and believe that they (the customer) are owed the lowest prices possible along with the best service available. That is a worthwhile goal but not a realistic one. Businesses cannot compete in both the lowest price and the highest service arena and stay afloat.

Many try. Many shout “price” and “service” but darn few ever deliver both on a consistent basis. Sooner than later “Mr. Bottom Line” jumps out of the pond and bites them. Small independent businesses and professionals should never try to play the lowest-price-best-service game. Compete on being the best service provider and the more clever marketer. Suggestions:

• “Bundle” different types of products and services that cannot be found anywhere else. Package and price your “bundles” so that your competitors are left scratching their heads. “Crazy Bob is at it again!”

• Give away free information that helps your client or customer in their decision-making process, now and in the future. Do not ask for anything in return.

• Include a time-dated offer that gives the customer a discount on their next purchase. A discount you can live with. Keep it simple and easy to understand. Nix the “exclusions” (see: Herberger’s ads).

• Hand out a “package” of coupons from both you and compatible businesses. I call this the “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” strategy.

• Do not just get out of the box. Toss the whole box! Brainstorm ideas that fit your specific business model. Start slow but start. Get your staff involved. Resist handing out top-down edicts, most of which die before they float.

Believe me, there are some real monsters disguised as customers out there. Make sure they are not on your mailing list. If they are, fire them. You CAN fire some of your customers!

If you are caught up in the lowest price game, you will lose. Instead, underpromise and overdeliver ... in very specific ways. Give away unannounced surprises from time to time. Change your surprises up. Hey, they are unannounced, not expected — meaning you can stop and start at will.

You can and should make asking for referrals a standard policy in your business. Not the “Crazy Bob is great” type of referral but a true heartfelt testimonial from a real LOCAL person. Lose the “D.K. from Kansas” approach. No one believes this type of testimonial. If D. K. has a real name, use it. A digital mug photo would be good. You take it. Take several. Keep one and give D.K. the rest.

Start a “What Our Customers Are Saying” bulletin board. Start where you are. If that is none, your board is blank until you get one. Make it “one looking for two.” Trust me, your wall will grow IF you are constantly finding new and innovative ways to underpromise and overdeliver.

Begin with each new customer and concentrate on developing that one customer into a friend who consciously or not refers others to you and your business. It is truly a strategy there for the taking.

Bob Schumacher has a wide range of experience gathered in over four decades as an individual entrepreneur, chain retail national sales manager and media marketing director. He is also an author and small business coach. E-mail your questions or comments to Bob at marketingemporium@bresnan.net. He’ll reply to you directly. Visit his Web site http://www.20do80.com for a complete directory of his articles and books about small business marketing.