Of the many ways to increase profitability in your business, giving your customers an experience they’ll never forget is a highly effective one.
No one sells your business like a happy customer. When your customers sing your praises and prove your value and claims through their own experiences, a whole new level of trust and credibility is awarded to you and your business.
With repeat customer sales and referrals also being the cheapest and easiest business you will ever generate, it‘s smart to spend more time nurturing and leveraging your existing customer relationships to create even more happy customers.
With this in mind, here are four tips to help you enhance your customer experience and increase profitability in the process.
1. Stop selling and start serving
Instead of focusing on generating sales, focus on your potential customer’s needs, wants, goals, challenges and how you can help them.
You will find that when you stop selling and start serving, your customer’s guard comes down. Not only will they be more receptive to what you are saying, they will open up to you, rewarding you with more information that will help you make the sale and turn them into a satisfied customer.
2. Ask questions and listen to the answers
Questions are incredibly powerful. You can qualify a potential customer, establish rapport, identify needs, build business relationships, increase credibility and close a sale simply by asking the right questions and listening closely to the answers.
The more targeted your questions, the easier it is to give your customers exactly what they need, reward and “wow” them in ways they would personally appreciate, and find even more ways to help to them.
To form good questions look at what you want to know from your customers and what will help you meet if not exceed their expectations.
Want more articles like this? Check out the customer service section.
3. Stay in contact regularly
To build a relationship with your customers you need to stay in regular contact with them, but not just with newsletters and email marketing. Instead, make genuine, personal contact. Talk to them to see how they are going. Keep in touch in a way that makes them say “wow”
For example, once your customer has bought your product or service you could send out a small gift voucher they can use for their next purchase as a thank you for doing business with you. A week after they have used your product or service you could call them to see how they are going, if they have any questions and if you can help them with anything further. This can be a great way to show you care, create opportunities to up-sell or cross-sell and get feedback, which can generate testimonials or help you address any concerns.
Also keep track of when customers are due for your product or service, whether it is a refill, check-up, follow-up or replacement, and send them a reminder with a special offer or bonus. By being proactive, your customers will feel more special and your thoughtfulness will be rewarded with loyalty, repeat sales and referrals.
4. Go above and beyond
If you really want happy customers that keep coming back, give them what they can’t get anywhere else. It could be as simple as taking the time to answer all of their questions and objections to creating an impressive customer-service experience, like having their favourite coffee and snack when they come to meet you.
Your customers are the most important people in your business and the very reason you have one. Never forget it, and never let them forget it either.
What are your tips for enhancing your customer experience?
