As I write about small business marketing strategies I’m often confronted the choice between the word client or customer when referring to those folks you exchange goods and services with for money. For the most part the words are interchangeable, but seem, culturally, to possess different meanings and uses. In the main, client is more often used by someone referring to a professional service such as a law firm. Customer is more likely the word of choice for a retailer or plumber.

The idea for this post actually goes to Ridgely Evers, founder of NetBooks. In a brief discussion he mentioned the origin of the word customer is the Latin – consuetudinem, coming from one’s habit or custom – or, someone’s customary practice do something repeatedly. The root of client is the Latin cliens, more closely related to the idea of a follower.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve know I want my customers to know, like, trust, call and refer me repeatedly. I want them to grow accustomed to my blog. I want it to be their custom to think of me whenever they need a practical marketing tip. So, customer it is for me.

Both words compared from the Online Etymology Dictionary.

client – 1393, from Anglo-Fr. clyent, from L. cliens (acc. clientem) “follower, retainer,” perhaps a var. of prp. of cluere “listen, follow, obey” (see listen); or from clinare “to incline, bend,” from suffixed form of PIE base *klei- “to lean” (see lean (v.)). The ground sense is of one who leans on another for protection. In ancient Rome, a plebian under protection of a patrician (in this relationship called patronus, see patron), originally in Eng. “a lawyer’s customer,” by c.1600 extended to any customer. Clientele is 1563, from Fr. clientèle, from L. clientela “relationship between dependent and patron.”

custom – c.1200, “habitual practice,” from O.Fr. costume, from V.L. *consuetumen, from L. consuetudinem, acc. of consuetudo “habit or usage,” from consuetus, pp. of consuescere “accustom,” from com- intens. prefix + suescere “become used to, accustom oneself,” related to sui, gen. of suus “oneself,” from PIE *swe- “oneself” (see idiom). Replaced O.E. þeaw. Sense of a “regular” toll or tax on goods is c.1325. Customer (14c.) meant “customs official” before meaning switched to “buyer” (first attested 1409). Customary is from 1523.

Guy Kawasaki, author of Art of the Start and contributor to the soon to be released Duct Tape Marketing has created a simple wiki to gather input for his next book. It’s a nice way to demonstrate the community building tools available to just about any small business owner. Go join in

What’s a wiki? Let’s turn to the encyclopedia built on one Wikipedia – The definition of a wiki

Companies are finding wikis to be great for internal and external collaboration too.

Some wiki tools and resources for you to check out – not exhaustive, there are lots more.
• PBWiki
• Google’s Jotspot
• MediaWiki – the tool that runs Wikipedia
• EditMe

Tell me how you have used a WIki in your business.

Be easy to do business with. That’s a mantra every small business marketer should adopt.

One of the way you accomplish this is to provide your prospects with many different ways to contact you and buy. Some people are more comfortable with the phone, others with email. Make sure that offer all.

Google and Windows Live recently implemented a technology in their Local Listings that allows a surfer to visit a listing and click on a “call now” link to initiate a phone call to the business. It’s not earthshattering, but it does offer another way to engage.

Any small business owner who has a website can add this function as well. A fairly new click to connect option from Jaduka allows small business owners easily set-up and implement a click to call function.

Adding this to a website will likely prompt more users to pick up the phone and call, even if you list your phone number on the page anyway. You can also send your click to call button in an email and promote phone conversations. Users click on your click to call icon and a small window pops up prompting them to input their phone number. Once they hit send the call is initiated.

For many businesses and prospects the phone is still the most comfortable and most effective form of contact. Anything you can do to promote more phone conversations is probably a good thing.

I know the title of this post may sound a bit harsh, but even the sunniest business owner has faced the cold harsh reality – sometimes the best thing you can do is let a client go.

There are many reasons why this may be. A client can become too demanding, your business has evolved to a point where you no longer want to provide a certain type of service, a client constantly pays slowly, you can only work with so many clients, and so on.

No matter what the reason, actually going to someone who has been paying you for a service and telling them you can’t do business with them, even if it’s the right move for both of you, is tough.

The strategy that I find has worked best for me over the years is to simply go to the client and inform them that you are making significant changes in your business and one of those is a need to raise your prices (something you should actually do anyway!)

Increasing the revenue you receive from a client will do one of two things: make them decide to move on, or make them less of a problem client.

In some cases the best thing to do with a problem client is to let them go no matter what, but in many instances your business will benefit by taking the approach of replacing clients with higher paying clients.

In what I see as another sign of major corporate player trying out innovative ways to add value to the relationship they provide with small business clients, Home Depot recently launched The Home Depot Business ToolBox.

The service is aimed squarely at the small contractor, but any business can become a member. As a member you are eligible for negotiated discounts on a wide range of products and services from folks like Office Max, Sprint, Dell and HP. In addition, members can tap into savings on things such as insurance, payroll processing, credit card processing and shipping.

The big item I suspect will be insurance. Members can apply for a product called BenefitProtect and enroll in a group health insurance and benefit program. This could be a real money saver for the typical small business.

Best of all I believe this program may allow Home Depot to capture the loyalty of one of its most important markets. This type of community building is a powerful way to lock out the competition.

I get lots of calls to come in and speak to merchant groups when they learn that another Wal-Mart is moving to town. The fear of course is that they assume they can’t take on Wal-Mart and win. The truth is you can beat Wal-Mart or any other chain, you just can’t fight them.

Unfortunately, the secret to competing with the giant of your industry is pretty simple, but it’s hard.

Simple part is don’t try to compete with them. Hard part is it’s a bit more work than turning on the lights and doing what you’ve done for years.

To beat a giant, you’ve got to offer something they don’t (that’s the secret to competing with anyone really.) Wal-Mart does low price, what do you do. I hope it’s not low price. Rainy Day Books, an independent bookseller, hosts almost weekly author events and often sells out theaters for authors who agree to speak sign books for books sales only. If you buy a book, they drop you a note when a similar book shows up.

To beat a giant, you’ve to take advantage of their weaknesses – don’t be afraid to point them out. I saw a sign in a local hardware store that said “Our prices are higher than Wal-Mart because we take care of our employees.” Pretty bold, but perhaps an effective way to make a point.

To beat a giant, you’ve got to provide better information and community. I know a woman’s clothing retailer that puts on monthly events unrelated to clothing and packs her store with clients who come to learn and network.

Business is a tough game, but the bottom line is that there are plenty of people out there (like me) that will pay a premium for place that knows my name, caters to my needs, adds value through information sharing and community and isn’t shy about providing and then charging for value.

You get that I’m not just talking about retailer here, right? There are giants in every industry that you beat with the same principles.