You can say that you’re running a great business only if your clients are great as well, but since we don’t live in a perfect world, not all of them are like this. But don’t worry, as people always change and so can your clients, if you develop and maintain a strong relationship with them.
Companies able to do this are the ones you hear all day about, while the ones that don’t make a priority out of their clients fall of pace, and, eventually, don’t resist on the market that much.
Keeping it short, customers can be considered your greatest asset and the fact that retaining a current customer costs less than acquiring a new one is known by any marketer. And in order to retain them, you need to provide value on a consistent, ongoing basis.
Here you can find a few tips for developing productive and enduring relationships with your clients. Oh, and if you’re not applying them already, make sure you at least consider them for the near future!
Be honest
No long-term relationship has a future if the two parts implied in it aren’t honest to each other. And the same goes for your business. Remember, your clients can easily figure out when you’re trying to manipulate them and this can easily ruin your reputation and eventually make them lose their trust in your brand. And you know that once lust, trust is pretty hard to be won again, right?
Your clients are more than clients
Forget about the idea that a client is just a revenue stream. They’re all unique, with their own preferences, so try to identify with them as much as possible and you will see the liaison between you growing constantly.
All of them matter!
There are situations in which let’s say 75% of your clients are very satisfied with your products or services. This doesn’t mean that the 25% of unhappy customers don’t matter, even though it can be pretty tempting to make generalizations based on the feedback you receive from them.
The best relationships are created when you adapt your strategy according to the needs of each individual. Always pay attention to their needs and treat everybody like your only customer! Yes, it’s difficult, but man, it pays off.
Meeting deadlines is crucial
A promise is a promise and you shouldn’t break it for anything. The same goes with your clients. When you’re saying you’re going to do something for them, they automatically consider that this will happen and there’s no room for doubts.
By committing to deadlines, you display your value and respect for them. If you give your clients no reasons to worry about you not meeting deadlines, it automatically builds trust in your brand and makes them stick with you for longer.
Give loyal clients a “special treatment”
Every company has a handful of loyal clients, which, after establishing a great relationship with them, keep returning to you. Still, this doesn’t mean that they will be your clients forever and you shouldn’t pay that much attention to them, focusing on securing new ones instead. And this is a huge mistake…
Loyal clients should be rewarded and even receive preferential treatment when required, like special discounts, tailored offers or even creating reward programs for them. Don’t forget to let them know about this, it will definitely make them feel good!
What are your thoughts on maintaining a good relationship with your clients? Are you planning to consider the tips suggested above or you’re already doing it? Share your experience with us, using the comments section below!