At times it seems that we are so caught up in generating the next client through social media and online marketing that we lose sight of the clients that are right in front of us. The people who have invested their time and money to become a client at your business. They are your marketing ambassadors, an actual walking advertisement for your business. As you know it is cheaper to keep a client than to advertise to reach a new one. Your goal is to nurture, maintain and retain your current customers.
- Repeat customers spend 33% more than new customers.
- Referrals among repeat customers are 107% greater than non-customers.
- It costs six times more to sell something to a prospect than to sell that same thing to a customer.
So how do you harness your customer and not let them slip away?
Remember, a business does not make a buying decision — a customer does. Their buying decisions are a culmination of many factors, but once they have committed to working with you, your job doesn’t stop there. Personalizing their experience is where it matters most. Remember that people want to feel important; to know that when they walk in the front door of your business they matter and you care.
You want to build a sustainable relationship with your clients and the best way to do this is through effective client building.
Key Points:
- Be sure to gather enough personal information through your sales process
- Record all birthdays, special anniversaries in your computer system
- Follow through with personalized cards and notes from the provider or manager
- Know about your clients children, family, pets, hobbies and interests, anything you can use for conversation
- All desk staff should greet clients by name and ask a conversational prompt-such as ” Hello Mrs. Smith, lovely to see you, beautiful weather today, any special plans for the weekend?”
- Always treat your clients with integrity and respect
- Ensure that each client has the best experience they can, and that each visit has a consistent level of quality
There are many opportunities to reward and nurture the client relationship; the above are just a few. Nurturing your clients will be your best form of marketing. They will share their experiences and ultimately bring future business in your door. If you would like to know more about how Acara Partners can help your staff with sales and client building, please contact Colleen Acunzo at 203.488.0028 x305.