Client satisfaction is one of the most important factors that impact your business’ success. When a client is happy, they’re more likely to come back for routine business in the future. Satisfied customers are also more likely to spread the good word of your company, allowing you to enjoy the many benefits of word of mouth marketing.
Here are 12 business practices you’ll want to employ to impress your clients while also attracting new ones.
1. Be Client-Focused
While your business has its own mission and goals, it’s important that your brand is articulated in a way that makes the client feel as if your main goal is to help clients. Remember that your business exists to help others, and as you help the client successfully, the profit will come. The customer is your paycheck, which means that client satisfaction needs to be the ultimate goal.
2. Embrace Promptness
We live in a world of wanting everything now. As patience has dwindled over the years, it’s important to embrace promptness as part of your daily business activities. From responding to emails to completing tasks, the quicker you are at getting things done, the better.
3. Be Available
Clients shouldn’t (and don’t want to!) wait days before they hear from you after submitting a request for a quote or a consultation. Be prompt to respond to any communication that comes your way, even if it’s an auto-generated response sent via email or direct message.
4. Ask for Feedback
Many clients are open to sharing their thoughts and experiences with your business. After clients have worked with you for a few months, ask for feedback. This shows that you value customer input and are willing to make changes to ensure happier clients in the future.
5. Treat Clients as People
The more clients you have, the more money you’ll make. That’s a given. But, don’t look at clients as if they’re mere dollar signs. Clients, first and foremost, are always people, and you’ll need to treat them as such. Create a relationship. Make small talk. Get to know each other.
6. Follow Up
As a business owner, it’s all too easy to get caught up in daily business matters. But, be sure to carve out time to follow up after a projected has been completed or if you haven’t heard back from a lead. By reaching out, it shows that you have a genuine interest in the client.
7. Network
It’s nice to have an ever-growing list of clients, but if you want those numbers to continue to be on the up and up, you’ll need to be proactive. Don’t rely on just word of mouth and referrals. Instead, put on emphasis on networking by attending tradeshows, partnering with other industry names, and being active on social media.
8. Have an Efficient Invoicing Process
Clients are all about timeliness. From the work you submit, to the
Invoice generator programs take a lot of the manual work out of the invoicing process. A quick invoice process means you get paid quicker and have a single location for tracking incoming cash flow.
9. Build Personas
Understanding your clients and creating a solid connection is a must. You can easily do this by using the data you collect to build personas. Using this data you can pinpoint who a client is, what they seek, their industry, and much more.
10. Be Positive
Running a business is a big ball of stress, but your clients should have no clue how overwhelmed or overloaded you may feel. Always maintain a positive face and tone when communicating with clients. The more positive energy and enthusiasm that you share with clients, the more enjoyable your business will be to work with.
11. Share Knowledge
Clients are rarely experts in the services or products they’re looking to buy. If you offer marketing services, for instance, share the details with clients so that they have a better understanding of what you provide and what they need. This makes it much easier to have confidence and trust in the process.
12. Surprise Them
Clients are people, and who doesn’t like a good surprise every once-in-awhile? You can surprise clients in many ways. To keep customers interested in your company:
- Offer special offers
- Run discounts for first-time clients
- Provide additional services at a
- Surprise them during the holidays or their birthday with a discount
Surprises here and there will show clients just how much you value their business and the relationship that you’ve developed.
Conclusion
Using these business practices will greatly benefit your company. Not only will your existing clients be happy with the services you’ve provided, but you’re also at a huge advantage over your competitors. These business practices all but ensure that new clients are routinely knocking at your door.