Client retention is one of the most important aspects of running a successful business. You don’t want to spend all of your time trying to develop new opportunities when you have clients who have already journeyed through the discovery, consideration, and purchase phases of the buying cycle.
Continuing to foster and nurture relationships in the after-sale stage will pay off, but how should you go about doing that? Here are my top client retention tips:
Under-promise and always over-deliver!
Make a commitment, no matter how small, and follow through: nothing hurts your credibility more than not following through on your promises.
Care about making a difference: let people know you care about them as well as your community.
Inform them about changes within your industry: Let them know what's changing and how it may affect their business.
Inform them about your progress with their project: keeping them updated through the process is a powerful way to establish solid communication and get your client excited about the end result.
Don’t underestimate the power of a handwritten note: it's more meaningful in an age where anything handwritten is rare.
Be on-time and be present.
Go over expectations and time commitments: having an understanding of each other's time and what is needed by both parties is an excellent way to build a solid foundation.
Ask them about themselves: Find out a little more about who they are and remember what they say, so that you can connect with them later about their interests.
Smile: Smiling makes you more approachable, so smile often.
Keep a positive mindset: Positivity will attract more people than negativity will. So always keep things positive.
Treat the gatekeepers well: Don’t forget who is between you and the person who makes the decisions: receptionists, executive assistants, etc.
Whenever possible, call instead of text or email.
Having a client retention strategy is important for your business because it increases your customer's value, which will boost your revenue. You will also end up building amazing relationships with your customers because you won't be just another website or store. They want to give you their money because you give them a ton of value in exchange. When people know, like and trust you, it opens up more doors in unexpected ways.
Try any or all of my suggestions and see how they work for you and your business. For more information on client retention strategies, check out my blog post, What Is Client Retention? And Why Is It So Important?.