5 Essential Behaviors to Make Clients Love You

So, you’ve won a new client. That’s great news! But, your selling process is far from over. It’s common knowledge that acquiring a new client is five times more expensive than retaining an existing one, so ensuring that your new client stays happy should be your top priority.You might know the costs of acquiring new customers, but did you know that poor customer service causes an estimated $41 billion in losses for US companies each year? Losing a customer is even more catastrophic when you consider not just monetary loss, but also the fact that a client who used to be a potential referral source now sends their friends to your competitors instead.Really, the point of this article is this: keep your clients happy. There are myriad ways to do so, but here are a few fail-safe tips to ensure that your clients will love you and your company.

1. Follow up

It’s important to stay in touch with your client even when things are going well. Don’t assume that a customer is happy; make sure that they are. People always appreciate it when others think about them. Reaching out occasionally increases your client’s trust in your company and makes it more likely that they’ll stick with the business for a longer time. It’s also extremely easy to follow up: a short email once or twice a month is more than enough to let the client know you care, and it won’t take you more than a few minutes.Email signature optimization company Sigstr is the perfect example of this. After meeting with clients, Sigstr representatives send hand-written notes and gift cards to thank customers for their time. It’s a simple gesture, but for anyone who works with Sigstr, it’s clear that they truly care about their customers.

2. Personalize the experience

We’ve established that people appreciate it when others keep them in their thoughts, so what better way to prove this than by knowing personal details about each individual? As Dale Carnegie wrote in How to Win Friends and Influence People, “a person’s name is to him or her the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” Remembering that name is an easy and actionable step towards making your clients happier.Of course, don’t be afraid to take this just a bit further by learning names of family members or the individual’s interests. If your client list is too long to keep this information in your head, keep it logged in your CRM or an easily accessible spreadsheet. And, of course, make sure to update this information with each contact.

3. Be a trusted partner and solutions expert

Don’t paint yourself as the wizard behind the curtain who has all the answers. Instead, stay at your customer’s side and help them get over any barrier in their way you can. Stay ready for moments when your customer’s experience might not be exactly what they expected, and make sure that the customer sees you as their first resource for help.That trust is built through constant follow-up and problem-solving. If a client runs into an issue, reach out to similar clients to give them a heads up. If a client contacts you with a problem, listen attentively to their problems, empathize, and find their solution. If you can prove that you are able to find answers, clients will go to you before seeking out an alternative.You should be problem-solving constantly, even when your customer doesn’t know they have a problem. If another client with a similar business runs into an issue, inform your customer that they might encounter the same issue. Notify customers when changes in the industry might affect them. Stay ahead of the curve. Your customers will appreciate it.

4. Be available and responsive

We live in a fast-paced world. Most of us treat our smartphones as an additional limb. When information about any topic is readily available at any time, clients don’t have the patience to wait a full day for an email response. They need a response immediately.Research shows that salespeople are seven times more likely to close a sale when they respond to an inquiry within an hour. This also carries over to interactions with current clients. If customer service is unresponsive, there’s an increased possibility that the jilted client will look to other service providers.Of course, you can’t sit at your computer 24/7, waiting for your next client email. When you’re not in the office, make sure to set an auto-reply so your clients can know when you expect your response. Even if their solution doesn’t come instantly, knowing when to expect a response brings peace of mind.

5. Ask for referrals

Don’t be afraid to ask a customer for a referral when things are going well. If a client is happy, they are much more likely to refer to you to people who might need your product or service. According to Nielsen, recommendations from friends and family are the most effective form of marketing—84% of individuals report that they trust personal recommendations, compared to just 48% who trust online ads.Asking for referrals doesn’t just lead to a larger client base, though. Customers who refer others are more loyal and are more likely to refer additional friends in the future. Asking for referrals not only allows you to find additional leads, but it allows you to gauge how pleased clients are with your service. That doesn’t mean you should be constantly asking for referrals, though -- when your request for referrals becomes commonplace, clients will start to ignore it. So, ask rarely. But when you ask, make sure that you’re clear and direct about it.Happy customers are key to a healthy company. Every single interaction with a client is an opportunity to improve the overall health of your company, so take advantage of it! Make sure every customer knows that they’re your top priority.