Building your business is not only about acquiring new customers. In fact, keeping your current customers happy should be high on your to-do list. If you want to really impress your customers, then you have to give them something more than they can get at your competition. Though big promotions may draw customers initially, it is what you do post sale that matters in generating repeat business. It’s the small things that make the biggest impact and are intended to communicate to the customer that you appreciate them and their business is valuable to you.
Here are 7 ideas to get you started on attracting and retaining customers:
1. The Early Bird Catches the Worm
Whether it’s through an email, a phone call, or an in-person meeting, contacting the customer in the shortest possible delay is the way to get new business. Statistics show that if you can get to the customer within the first 5-10 minutes of their inquiry you are most likely to get the business. Afterall, you may not be the only company the customer contacted but reaching out immediately makes you top of the pack. 70% of business goes to the supplier that contacted the customer first. Statistics show that 45% of consumers will abandon an online transaction if they can’t get immediate responses to their inquiries. Proper support should be provided at all stages of the sale, especially post sale. Try to promote other mediums for communication like live chat or social media where responses can be delivered quicker. Getting immediate attention will increase the satisfaction level of the customer.
Whenever you make an outbound sales or customer service call, you have about 7 seconds to make a great first impression. How you set the tone in this 7 seconds is critical to both how the rest of your phone call goes and how your business is experienced by your prospect. It is essential to have both superb phone etiquette and a great opening line in order to make a great first impression and engage your prospect. Engaging in this way leaves the prospect with a sense of trust and connection.
2. The Customer is Always Right
Your customer database is a business’s most important asset. Studies have shown that it cost 5x more to get a new customer than it does to retain one. In my former life as a restaurant franchisor, we had a policy that no customer left unhappy ever! Servers and staff were empowered to respond to the situation and were tasked with insuring that the customer left feeling satisfied with the resolution. Word of mouth advertising can make or break a business. Unhappy customers traditionally tell more people about their bad experience than happy ones do. The consequence, the loss of tens of thousands in lost sales. A Forbes study showed that a 5% increase in customer retention can increase a company’s profitability by up to 75%. Hence, companies living and breathing the motto “keep the customer happy”, will fare much better and grow over time.
3. Who Doesn’t’ Love Surprises:
Everyone loves surprises and customers are no exception. Special gifts, discounts or vouchers can be hand delivered with the bill or delivered online after the transaction. Offering beautiful, personalized, celebration cakes is a great way to distinguish yourself from the competition in the restaurant industry. Really make a memorable day memorable. Another favorite is to offer the client a new service or product to try out for free. All of these gestures result in creating a great first impression and is essential in creating and building long-lasting relationships. Personalized customer service really does matter.
I am especially fond of “loyalty programs” which reward customers for repeat business. The traditional “Buy 5 get one free” works for coffee shops but depending on your business you may want to give away something more special. I like discounts based on purchases, e.g. get a $25.00 coupon for every $250.00 spent. Not only does the customer return but they almost always purchase in an amount in excess of the coupon value. When the customer gets to choose their own gift it is more meaningful.
4. Make and Keep Your Promises.
The biggest mistake that salespeople make is to make promises to the client and then not fulfill them. The expression “under promise and over deliver” could not be truer than in sales. Never make commitments just to get the sale if you cannot deliver. By making false promises you may get that one sale but you will lose that customer in the long run. When asked to rate their buyer experience, most buyers commented on how they were treated as the most important factor in their repurchasing from that seller. By giving the customer the best buying experience possible, you will create raving fans.
5. Listen First, Talk Later
Being a good listener is an important customer service skill. When interacting with a customer, let them talk and explain their needs before spewing a thesis about your product or service. Really listen to what they need, then suggest a solution that takes care of that need. This is also a good time to upsell other products or services. Gaining a proper understanding of your clients needs goes a long way to closing the sale.
In certain industries it may be worthwhile to learn about your customer first. With so many social media outlets it is not hard to gain some insight into what the customer may need. You can also use the information to connect with them on a personal level. If their social media is filled with wedding pictures, then congratulate them on that, or tell them how cute their fur baby is. Even just pulling one item you can relate to from their social media creates a chance to connect and gain instant trust. However, make sure to be honest and authentic. If you hate dogs, don’t pretend to love them just to create a false sense of connection with your customer. Also, be conscientious of professional boundaries, and don’t dig too deep into their social profiles to avoid being creepy!
6. Continuing the Relationship Post Sale
A customer relationship doesn’t end as soon as they make a purchase, in fact this is where it begins. Follow up calls are especially important in the service industry. In some cases it may be appropriate to send a “Thank You for Your Business” card. This may be the perfect tool to cement the positive impression of a company.
7. Do Excellent Work!
Last, but most important is to do the work well and beyond the customers expectations. Do what you do better than anybody else and you are sure to own the competitive field. There is absolutely no substitute for quality work. Delivering high quality work will get word-of-mouth advertising going and that is the best marketing there is. Capturing referral business should be an essential element of your marketing plan. People absolutely notice when they have received great service, which they then communicate to family and friends. The cost to acquire this referral customer is zero.
Conclusion
Treat the customer as if they were your boss. Jeffery Gitomer rightly concluded that “your customer is your paycheck”. He proposed that it is the customers that are paying the bills of the business and not the owner. Interaction with customers should be kind, polite and honest. Building a long-term relationship with customers is a long process that begins at “hello, how can I help you”.
Lori Karpman, CEO Lori Karpman is president of Lori Karpman & Company, A full service firm providing a full range of consulting and legal services.