| I propose these tried-and-true tactics with | | | | trustworthy. Building trust requires the businesses to |
| interpersonal strategies that can deepen relationships | | | | continually put the customer's interests ahead of their |
| with customers, establish greater levels of trust and | | | | own and display a genuine "other" orientation. You |
| build stronger customer loyalty. Here are 10 tips for | | | | demonstrate this by being interested rather than |
| you to consider if you are sincerely interested in | | | | interesting and by not treating every interaction as |
| having a business that is notable for customer loyalty | | | | an opportunity to share your message. All of this |
| and referrals. | | | | adds up to doing business with integrity. Without |
| 1. Understand the true purpose of marketing. | | | | integrity, there is no trust, and without trust. there is |
| Effective marketing is largely about building trust and | | | | no enduring relationship. |
| developing relationships. The purpose of marketing is | | | | 7. What have you done for me lately? One of the |
| to "create and maintain a strong feeling with | | | | most common mistakes businesses make is focusing |
| customers so they are mentally predisposed to | | | | primarily on the early part of the sale. They wrongly |
| continually choose and recommend you." Successful | | | | assume that once a customer is happy, they will stay |
| marketing also requires being relevant and unique. | | | | happy and continue to utilize the services. Each |
| This brings us to tip #2. | | | | customer's experience is the sum of every small |
| 2. Identify and build your brand. We're not talking | | | | experience they have while in your office. Ask |
| about your logo, marketing "look," or tagline, although | | | | yourself, "If I were this customer right now, what |
| you should have those tools in your marketing kit. | | | | would I really want in terms of product, care and |
| Branding that builds genuine customer loyalty goes | | | | service?" Remember, your customer is always |
| beyond what the eye can see. It's branding at the | | | | thinking, "What's in it for me?" What you do (or fail |
| emotional, sensory and gut-feeling level. Your brand is | | | | to do) at every point during a customer's course of |
| what your business is known for, how you engage | | | | care makes an impression. |
| with customers and what people can depend on you | | | | 8. Never take loyalty for granted. A successful |
| to consistently deliver. It's a compilation of your most | | | | external marketing campaign will encourage people to |
| important strengths. What would a customer | | | | try you out, but only good outcomes and an |
| referring someone to your business say about you? | | | | authentic relationship with you will keep them coming |
| "They go out of their way to find resources and | | | | back. A customer's willingness to return to your |
| solutions for me." "The staff is warm and caring; you | | | | business depends only partly on their need for your |
| can feel it the minute you walk in the office." Identify | | | | product/services. They can easily choose another |
| your brand and leverage it to see customer loyalty | | | | business/provider or even a different product if they |
| and referrals increase. Don't be shy about showcasing | | | | are not happy with what they experience. Never |
| your uniqueness and strengths. | | | | take loyalty for granted. Never underestimate the |
| 3. Tap into what customers want. In order to appeal | | | | power and value of the one-to-one relationship |
| to a customer's needs or desires, you must first | | | | customers have with you and your staff. Customers |
| understand their motivations, values and priorities. | | | | return to where they feel connected, have a sense |
| Each customer is unique and has needs and wants as | | | | of belonging, where there is mutual esteem, where |
| individual as they are. Being tuned in to what | | | | they are treated with respect, and where their care |
| customers want and being sensitive to their evolving | | | | results in positive outcomes. |
| needs will help you become more resourceful and | | | | 9. Word-of-mouth marketing isn't new. Third-party |
| innovative over time. This is an excellent way to set | | | | endorsement or customer referral always has been |
| yourself apart from other businesses and help you | | | | the foundation of marketing. What is new is that the |
| build memorable, lasting relationships with customers. | | | | bar for what customers expect in the way of |
| 4. Understand what customers actually are paying | | | | service is higher today than it's ever been. Being |
| for. We like to believe customers are buying their | | | | good isn't good enough to get customers talking |
| expertise. Yet most businesses cannot evaluate your | | | | about you. Outstanding is the new good. Polls |
| expertise and/or they simply assume you are an | | | | repeatedly show the quality of customer service is |
| expert by virtue of your brand credentials. What | | | | on the decline across industries. When you |
| customers can assess is whether they experience | | | | consistently exceed expectations, customers become |
| positive outcomes; if the relationship they have with | | | | "raving fans". These are the customers who refer |
| you is meaningful, if they feel valued, and if they | | | | their friends, relatives, neighbors and co-workers. |
| receive a high level of service. If you're selling a | | | | 10. Know and appreciate your ambassadors. In his |
| service, you're selling a relationship. | | | | bestselling book The Tipping Point, author Malcolm |
| 5. Outcomes matter. Practicing good interpersonal | | | | Gladwell says people who refer fall into one of two |
| skills and maintaining solid customer relationships are | | | | categories: Connectors or Market Mavens. |
| important for developing customer loyalty. But what | | | | Connectors are social. They have a gift for knowing |
| really matters to customers are outcomes and | | | | people and naturally make connections among their |
| results they can feel, count on and talk about. | | | | network. Market Mavens are people who have "the |
| Customers might come to you a few times because | | | | goods." They have a desire to be of service and |
| you have the right product/service for their needs, | | | | influence others. Data banks of information/they |
| but they won't keep coming to you based on your | | | | know how to get the best deals and the best |
| business personality alone. Customers must trust you | | | | service and they share information with enthusiasm. |
| to help them, see results, and learn something from | | | | According to Gladwell, "Word-of-mouth begins when |
| you in order to make it worth their while to continue | | | | someone along the chain tells a connector or a |
| as your customer. Remember, customers refer | | | | maven." Learn to recognize these customers in your |
| friends and family members with comments like "I've | | | | business, cultivate them and express your |
| never seen such great service before" not | | | | appreciation accordingly. |
| "Customer service staff are great conversationalist." | | | | Customer loyalty matters because selling more to |
| 6. Integrity » trust » relationship. Integrity involves | | | | existing customers is easier, and cheaper, than finding |
| fundamental behaviors like keeping your word, being | | | | and selling to new ones. Loyal customers tend to buy |
| honest, providing a consistent level of service and | | | | more, more regularly. And they will frequently |
| being reliable. Businesses who demonstrate a high | | | | recommend your business to others. |
| degree of integrity are seen as genuinely | | | | |