MARKETING // EDUCATION // LIFESTYLE // BUSINESS // DESIGN
7 Effective Strategies to Retain Your ClientsRetaining customers is as important as acquiring new ones. But have you put the right strategies and marketing methods in place? In this article, I will focus on 7 main strategies that can increase your customers’ loyalty. As Peter Drucker said, the purpose of any business is to acquire and retain customers. If you own one, then you know that the greatest wars in marketing are waged for getting new clients. But have you ever thought that it's also about keeping them? Well, that may seem obvious to you. Yet, on average, 80% of sales are achieved thanks to attracting new customers and not by keeping the present ones. Why do we focus more on looking for new people and less on keeping the ones who already trust us? That is mainly because we believe that our existing clients have used our services and require no convincing to buy them again. However, there’s a catch: your customers still want to be sure that they are in good hands. Actually, without paying proper attention to the clients, you risk undermining your company’s financial stability. It is the sustainability of your business that is at stake here! Without a loyal customer base, you will still have to attract new buyers. And that will prevent you from growing financially and professionally. Before you acquire the customers you've been looking for, you’ll also have to invest in the promotion a lot. Always keep in mind that it's a lot easier to sell services or products to a loyal customer than to a new one. In other words, you will spend much less time and effort, convincing a customer to buy from you if they are already your regular clients. The cherry on top is that these people will be prepared to buy MORE from you. Hence, your marketing and business strategies should be a reflection of your ability to retain customers. However, it is not that easy because your competitors have their eyes on your clients, too. And they can ultimately win them over with offers better than yours. If you don't keep track of the latest marketing and business trends, your customers will go elsewhere. Moreover, some customers may look for quality reassurance and have no qualms about communicating with your competitors directly. To address this problem, I have prepared 7 simple strategies you can implement in business to retain the customers. 1. Treat Your Customers as PARTNERSQuite a few business people and independent entrepreneurs don't consider developing their relationships with customers as something important. However, if you are open-minded and responsive, you can achieve a lot of success from a business standpoint. Because it is your customer, who causes you to engage in competition for the sake of promoting the business. By becoming more involved in entrepreneurship, you begin to understand that it works like a machine in a factory. Customers give you a command, and you start the engine! So, I suggest you consider entering into a partnership-like relationship with them. What do we mean by that? We’re talking about building strong and trusting relationships based on the common desire to develop. The idea is to think long term and guarantee your client a brighter future. But how do you achieve that? Create an Atmosphere of ConfidenceThe basis for such a relationship is TRUST. Ensure absolute transparency of all your business processes and convince your clients that you can solve all their problems. Inform Your Clients of Your Future RelationsTell your customers how their lives can change for the better thanks to cooperation with you. Make them want to be part of it. Communicate your ideas to them and develop a customer-centered environment. Ask Your Customers for an OpinionApart from supporting your clients, you can also ask them for an opinion on how to solve certain problems or meet their needs. You should also encourage your clients toleave feedback. Become a Real AdvisorDevote some time to this aspect. You can tell your customers more about your job, your market, and your techniques. Educate them on how you work so they have a better idea of what you are doing. Thus, customers will trust you, and you will become a true advisor with whom they can discuss non-market-related matters. Thank Your ClientsHow many times a year do you thank your customers for their trust? Do you thank them after you have provided them with a service? In fact, we frequently forget about this simple act that allows us to show them our appreciation for all the efforts and cooperation. Ask Your Clients to Recommend You to Other PeopleAsk clients to recommend your services to their friends and relatives. You can also suggest that they leave testimonials on your website (and elsewhere on the Internet) so more people know about the quality of your services/goods. That will attract new customers to you and give your image a major boost. 2. Create a Magical Experience for Your CustomersWhat’s magic got to do with marketing? It is about creating a strong relationship between two people, after which both of them will develop personally. If you've ever seen a magician do their tricks (for example, in your childhood), you remember the smile on your face and a sparkle in your eyes. That is called the "Wow!” effect. In short, making customers happy should be your ultimate goal. Arouse Your Clients’ InterestThe goal is to analyze your clients' perception of the world and act accordingly. Try putting yourself in a customer's shoes by answering the following questions:
You can ask these questions directly and carefully consider the answers. Are they the ones you expected to get? Once you’ve analyzed the statements, you can correct or improve your strategies. In fact, that is exactly what major brands do: they may change their strategies and services depending on the experience they want to offer to the clients. A Feeling of JoySuccessful customer experience should be simple and smooth. Or if there are any challenges along the way, they should be quickly resolved.
Concentrate on answering these fundamental questions and try to achieve PERFECTION in everything you do. Surprise FactorEveryone loves surprises. The areas of our brain which are responsible for feelings of pleasure are activated when satisfaction is greater than we hoped for. Thanks to that, a more intimate connection can be established between two (or more) people. Surprise can be defined as a strong (positive) difference between expectations and reality. In marketing, you can achieve that with excellent customer service and a lot of attention. Get inspired by the story of Joe Girard, one of the best car salesmen in the 60s and 70s. He sold more than 1,200 cars a year without reducing prices. What’s his secret? Every year, he sent postcards to his clients for their birthdays, holidays, and special events. This approach allowed him to establish stronger relationships with customers and opened up new opportunities. Listen Carefully to Your CustomersBe in regular contact with your customers to understand their problems and identify their needs. Learn how to ask the right questions and get the answers you need. Take note of the following problems and prioritize them.
Repeat these actions to identify the customers' new needs and your areas of improvement. 3. Constantly Improve Your BusinessImproving your skills, products, and services is a prerequisite for your long-term success. You should take it seriously and invest a lot of time, money, and effort into it. You can come up with a performance improvement plan for several months and set yourself ambitious goals. Stay One Step Ahead of the CompetitionDo you want to be a market leader or simply go with the flow? People are more likely to follow leaders, and, you can become one by being one step ahead of the competition and keep up with the latest trends. All of that will allow you to attract new customers and retain the existing ones. Figure Out Why Customers are Leaving YouIt is quite OK for some of your customers to leave. However, if that happens, you should understand their reasons and motivation. By doing so, you will be able to identify your main drawbacks and improve your services. 4. Offer Customer SupportThe act of selling is not just a commercial transaction. It begins well before concluding a deal and continues well afterward. Moreover, it doesn’t even stop when your customer stops using your services. Respond QuicklyWhen your clients ask you a question or want you to solve a problem, they expect you to do that ASAP. If you fail to do your best and help them, customers will associate you with that unpleasant situation even if it's not your fault. To prevent that, communicate with your clients as frequently as you can. Even a simple "Unfortunately, I don't have the answer now, but I will call you back later and let you know it” will go a long way toward building mutual respect and trust. The goal is not to provide answers ASAP but to communicate with your clients regularly and show that every client is valuable. That way, they won’t feel neglected. Manage Conflicts EffectivelyA dissatisfied customer can be an unpleasant aspect of your business. Most frequently, dissatisfaction is justified and needs to be looked into BEFORE you try to smooth things over. The best things to do are:
This way, you won't let anyone take advantage of you. 5. Manage Your Time EfficientlyShould we get new customers or retain old ones? It’s both! Indeed, you need to put in place a system which will allow you to acquire and retain clients regularly. Both aspects are essential for the sustainability of your business. Allocate the ResourcesBy that, I mean human, financial, and energy resources. If you work in a team, you can organize a department where people will be responsible for loyalty and support. If you are self-employed, you can organize your schedule in such a way as to address various aspects of the business. When working on customer loyalty, make sure to devote enough time to regular communication. 6. Support Your ValuesYour customers' attachment to your company, brand, or personality, depends on the story you tell them. Our brain perceives information better through various stories. Organize a Community around Your Values and MissionStand for something. You have a certain vision of the business, the benefits you bring to the customers, the relationship you want to build with them. Reflect this vision through your purpose and values. Your mission is the goal you set as a businessman. It is commonly believed that selling is a matter of trust, state of mind, and human relationship. Here, the goal is to ensure that any entrepreneur can rely on their expertise and sales competence. The basic marketing values are:
The goal is not for you to make a lengthy manifesto. By reflecting on your vision, mission, and values, you will be able to tell others about them. And if back up your words with actions, you’ll succeed in attracting people. h3: Your AmbassadorsYour customers areyour best salespeople. Provide them with the best experience so they’d be happy to recommend you to others!
Your customers are the heroes of the stories you tell. You are their side-kick, their trusted partner. By telling these stories, you encourage your customers to write new and more exciting stories with you. 7. Loyalty ProgramsYou have probably heard so much about it that it seems too obvious to you. However, I have to talk about it because it's an effective way of achieving loyalty. But what if you are a representative of a small business? Do you have the capabilities to do that? The answer is ‘yes.’ Here's how you can do it. h3: Sponsorship ProgramsOffer your customers a gift every time they bring you a new client. It can be:
Be creative! h3: DiscountsThe more attractive discounts you offer to your clients, the more loyal to you they become. But remember — the goal here is to make it an exceptional and not systematic act. h3: GiftsI advise you to present gifts to your customers throughout the year. Make sure they’re different to avoid creating a dull routine. For example, you can send them a present on the occasion of the first year of your cooperation. The effect will be rather powerful! h2: ConclusionAs you can see, retaining customers requires you to create an atmosphere of attention and trust. The idea is to break the barrier between you and them by making them your main partners. Remember — business needs clients just as much as they need ut!
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