Today’s customers are demanding, and their expectations are furiously escalating. Everyone wants value, and they want it now! They want convenience, and they want their needs and requirements met. You don’t have to look very far to hear what customers are saying “I want my Dell Computer with Windows XP and a Zip Drive, and I want lifetime customer service with it,” or “I want my Honda with navy leather seats, and I want to be treated like royalty when I come in for my 30,000 mile tune-up.” Adding value is key to business success, and these ten strategies will make your customers love you and will keep them coming back for more.(1)Ask Your Clients What they Value.
Value is often in
eye of beholder. If your customers say they don’t value price, and they continue to buy a lower priced item from your competitor, you cannot ignore this fact. If people say they value good service, and your service is stellar, and they are still not buying from you, big question is WHY? It is important to perform a needs analysis to clearly determine pains and challenges of your target market. A survey tool such as AdvancedSurvey.com can provide you with quick answers to questions such as “What is thing in life that is your biggest challenge right now?” or “If you could change one thing about your business right now, what would you change?” If majority of people say “A lack of money,” you know that price is going to be a determining factor in their buying decisions. If they say “A lack of time,” then providing quick service will be of paramount importance to your company. If they say “In my business, I would improve my customer service,” then it is your job to deliver a way to improve customer service. Go deep with your needs analysis, and then quickly deliver a solution to your clients’ most pressing needs.
(2)Personalize Relationship.
Your relationship with your clients is more than just a sale. It is building a connection with someone who has trusted you enough to buy from you. This relationship cannot be taken for granted. Greet your customers with enthusiasm, charm, energy, an optimistic attitude, and be LIKABLE. People do business with people they like. They don’t do business with people who are nasty and rude.
Take thorough notes about lives of your clients. Make a note not only their birthdays and special occasions but birthdays and special occasions of their spouses, children, parents, and pets (yes…their pets) and make sure to contact them on these days of celebration. Start out each conversation with question “How is your son/wife/partner/mother?” or “Tell me about your week-end. What did you do that was great for you?” A key question to constantly ask yourself is “How can I make my customers happy?” The answer: Be real. Be human. Be connected. Be curious. Be genuinely interested. It works!
(3)Use Assessments to Create an Emotional Bond.
Assessments have been used for years as a tool for developing people in organizations. By understanding behavior differences, organizations can align employee’s values and motivations with company’s mission. This same approach can be used with your clients and customers. With a tool such as Assessment Generator, you can create custom assessments which can create an emotional connection with your buyers while looking closely at how your customers motivations align with your mission. As an example, if you are a Certified Financial Planner, you could build an assessment by title of “Assess Your Family Wealth,” or you are a Skin Care Consultant, and you build a “How Young is Your Skin?” assessment. Both titles create an emotional pull of family wealth and subject of aging. Once assessments have been completed, look for trends in responses. Are most baby-boomers concerned about future financial wealth (or health) of their families? If so, provide a program or package on solving this dilemma. Are most women concerned about sun damage? Provide a month spa package which includes instruction and articles on proper use of sunscreen and how to avoid over exposure to sun.
(4)Provide a “Free Gifts” Offering Upon Purchase.
This is one of oldest yet most successful marketing techniques in history of world of business. People LOVE free stuff! Customers usually will flock to your business if they know they will receive a gift, an offering, or something extra. The trick here is to add ongoing value to lives of others. The majority of time, people will place value on something financial, emotional, or functional. Over ten years ago, an insurance company sent me a jar opener as a “free gift,” which I did not think was valuable, but it has saved me a great deal of time and energy in kitchen. I have used it for ten years, and if someone takes my jar opener, I have a tendency to get “testy.” I have come to rely on jar opener in my every day chores in kitchen, and I still remember to this day who gave it to me…The Insurance Company. The gift was functional, and I did not even know I needed it, but now that I have it, I can’t live without it!
