3 ways to keep customers satisfied
By Publicity Heaven writer Adam Constable
There’s lots of choice out there. And Google has made it easier than ever before for your customers to find what they need at the right price.
Most businesses focus their marketing on winning new business. But it’s just as important to focus on retaining existing customers.
The key is to take positive action. You need to delight your customers to win their loyalty – and then keep reminding them you are there when they need whatever it is that you sell.
This doesn’t mean that you have to spend loads of money wining and dining them, sending them gifts or reducing your prices.
Here are 3 effective ways to keep your customers satisfied:
Always exceed your promises: There is no point in promising something if you can’t deliver on it. Customers expect you to fulfil any promises that you make generically as part of your brand or specifically to them every time. Failure to do so just the once could lose you that important client, and even worse, your reputation could suffer. So always promise what you can easily deliver every time. The best businesses deliberately under promise so they always over deliver.
Keep in regular contact: This can be via any means of communication, but it must be at least once a month. Fortnightly is ideal. The customer will soon tell you if you are contacting them too often! Regular contact lets your customer know that you are still there and you still continue to value their business. The most effective way to keep in touch is with email marketing… although be aware that it’s becoming increasingly harder to get emails delivered and customers to open them.
There are many things you can put in email updates. You can update customers on how you can help them solve their problems; offer advice and tips; and give away freebies. Think of the lifetime revenue of your typical customer – that’s what you’re losing if they go elsewhere because you tried to save a few quid.
Get customer feedback: OK, the customer may return to you time and time again, but does this confirm you are doing things right? For all you know, it could be just your prices that are keeping these customers loyal… and other than that they’re not very satisfied with you. The best way to find out is to ask them. Email all your customers asking them to provide feedback, offering suggestions on how you can improve or highlighting what you do well. Or run a customer survey on your website. Ensure that you take action on the feedback you’ve been given. Acting on feedback will ensure that you get it right every time and keep your customers satisfied and loyal.
You should follow Paul Green on Twitter here.
Be notified about new articles automatically
Sign up for Publicity Heaven’s free Tuesday PR & Marketing Tips email newsletter:
