5 Ways to Turn Clients into Raving Fans
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Today we’ll talk about how to turn your clients into raving fans. Yes, it is a challenge (if it weren’t, every business would have raving fans) but we’ve found that there are tried-and-true ways to make it happen.
So what’s the value of raving fans, and why should you make a concerted effort to get more of them? A raving fan will take every opportunity to refer your business. The more raving fans, the more referrals. The more referrals, the greater the revenue.
Let’s talk about how you can get more of them.Simple Ways to Turn Clients Into Raving Fans
Phone Calls — Answer when humanly possible and return calls ASAP.
One surefire way to turn off a client is to always let their calls go to voicemail. What kind of message does that send to your clients? So the first—and perhaps easiest—way to create a raving fan is to be available for your clients. This means not missing calls whenever humanly possible. And if you have to miss a call, return it as soon as possible. That speaks volumes. When a client experiences a service, they will also make judgements, so be sure to provide the best possible experience for them when possible, to truly engage your customers.
Commitments — Go above and beyond to fulfill them.
When starting with a new client, it’s easy to over-promise. The first step to fulfilling commitments is to take your agreements serious. Sometimes this means not agreeing to everything. It means not over-promising.
The second step is to go above and beyond in your follow-through. When you don’t follow through, your credibility is lost. For example, if you’ve misjudged the scope of a project and are trying to determine whether to a) require a Change Order and ask for additional funds from the client, or b) stick to the agreed-upon terms, meet your commitment, and take the financial hit… which is better?
Well, you need to consider the impact of either option. Option A may lead to increased income but you’ll take a hit to your credibility. But Option B will lead to increased credibility and a hit to your income.
Sticking to commitments is difficult. Not many service providers can do it successfully—and if you can, you are well on your way to raving fans. It truly pays to stick to your commitments.
Email — Always respond quickly and get in the habit of sending follow-up emails.
Similar to phone calls, clients expect a quick response to their email.
We get it: when life gets busy, it’s a challenge to respond to every email. When a client sends you an email and you respond quickly, it shows you care. If your response needs to be longer, don’t wait to fully flesh it out. Send a short “placeholder” email immediately, similar to this one:
“Hello [Client],
I wanted to let you know that I received your email. My calendar is scheduled out for the next few days, but I will get you a response by [date]. Thank you for your understanding.”
You acknowledged their email so they don’t have to wonder if you’ve read it yet. Plus you made a commitment about when you’ll fully respond. Clients love this kind of communication.
And don’t forget the value of follow-up emails. After a phone call with a client, take a few minutes to summarize the call and send them your notes in an email. This communicates that you take their project seriously. The more consistently communicative you are, the higher your chances of converting regular clients into raving fans.
Expectations — Surpass them as often as possible.
When a client experiences a service that goes beyond their expectations, they don’t just give a referral, but a raving referral. Depending on your line of work, exceeding a client’s expectation could be as simple as providing them with additional support time at no charge, giving them a free add-on, hauling out an extra bag of trash, or even giving them a few extra photos. This concept may seem foreign to some, but for others it’s a daily exercise which opens doors and leads to tremendous success.
Another way to surpass your client’s expectations is to let them know that you appreciate them. Send a little gift with a note. Unexpected follow-up like this builds brand loyalty and is key to building your raving fanbase.
Feedback — Listen carefully to what your clients want.
It’s so easy to assume that your product or service is the best, that there’s no need for improvement.
It’s also plain wrong, and dangerous for your business. Every company can improve. High-performing companies regularly ask clients what they want—and listen carefully at the responses. You will be surprised at how many new ideas, features, and issues your clients bring up.
And when you back up your superb listening skills by implementing your client’s features and suggestions, it builds huge rapport. This is a powerful way to get more raving fans.
Bonus: Self Service Options — Allow your clients to help themselves.
Depending on what type of business you have, having a website with channels to contact you digitally can help to free up some of your time, and your customers also.
Everyone has a smart phone these days, and mobile traffic currently makes up most of the internet traffic we see.
Modern problems require modern solutions, even if your business is not conducted online. It will also provide added benefits, like search visibility, and can address some of your customers pain points intelligently whether through account options, or just articles and how to guides.
Having a website can save you time just explaining things in a well thought out way.
Just a reminder that here at BoldGrid, we have tools designed to help you build a WordPress website in just a few hours, and manage it painlessly.
This is All Common Sense
Each of the above tips may seem like common sense. So why do so many companies and organizations struggle to implement them? And how can your company be the one that stands out? Think about it carefully.
By following the above tips, you should see your raving fanbase—and bottom line—grow with leaps and bounds.