Home Business Tips
"Home Business Tips For Long Term Client Retention"
Attracting and retaining long-term clients is a powerful
strategy for growing your home business. Long-term clients are likely
to feel more satisfied, are more likely to refer others, and are
more likely to purchase additional services from you. The savvy
solo professional or small home business owner gains big from
focusing on these 10 sound strategies for long term client
retention.
1) Focus your marketing on existing clients. Your current
customers have already overcome certain hurdles to doing
business with you and are more likely to buy from you again.
Focus most of your time, efforts, and resources on better serving
your current clients. Go deeper rather than wider.
2) Be consistent in your approach and interactions. Treat your
clients with honesty, humor, and respect and maintain this over
time. Present a consistent, solid, and professional style to
your clients - one that they can grow to depend on.
3) Follow through on your commitments to them. If you promise to
send information or to follow up, be sure to do this. You'd be
surprised at how many professionals promise to send information,
but then never do. You will gain loyalty and trust by doing what
you say you will do.
4) Allow yourself to connect with them. Find out about their
lives, their hopes, goals, and desired outcomes. Ask questions
that encourage a deeper sense of shared understanding. The
greater the level of connection, the greater the mutual
satisfaction.
5) Have fun. It's easy to get caught up in goals, outcomes,
deliverable and all of these are, of course, vitally important.
Clients do want outcomes. Also, they want to work with people
who enjoy what they do. The more fun you can have while providing
strong outcomes, the longer your clients will stay.
6) Position yourself as a resource for life. I tell all my
clients, at the beginning, that I want to be their
coach/consultant for life. That means they can always come back
to work with me no matter how much time has passed between our
meetings. This strategy has worked extremely well as I often get
calls from clients from four, five and six years ago - whenever
they are in need of a goals tune-up. Clients appreciate knowing
they can come back whenever they choose.
7) Ask for feedback and input. At some intervals within the
working relationship, solicit feedback and input. Ask your
clients how they feel about working with you and ask if they
have suggestions for how the working relationship or outcomes can
be improved. Asking for their ideas shows that you care about
their opinions and value their contributions.
8) Share resources. Do you know of a good book that your client
might benefit from reading? Tell him about it. Do you have the
name of someone who could help your client move ahead on her
business plan? Tell her about it. Sharing resources is a
terrific way to build loyalty and satisfaction.
9) Reward them for staying on. You might consider implementing
some kind of loyalty or perks program, where your long-term
clients are rewarded for staying on. You might offer them gifts,
products, or services for a certain level of ongoing
participation with your business. These work for things like
coffee, office supplies, and groceries, so why not in your
business, too?
10) Keep learning. The more you focus on gaining new knowledge,
new skills, and new experiences, the more you have to offer your
clients. The more you have to offer, the more they will benefit.
The more they benefit, the longer they stay. Keep focused on
your own professional growth and learning - make this a priority.
Both you - and your clients - will gain.
Implement these ten tips for client retention, and you too, will
have a home business that continues to grow now and thrive into the
future.
(c) 2005, Dr. Rachna D. Jain. All rights in all media reserved.
Dr. Rachna D. Jain is a sales/marketing consultant and the
author of "177 Low Cost Ideas to Successfully Market Your
Professional Service Business".
