In this part, I will be sharing a few ways to win your clients/customers. Establishing, building, and then maintaining them are the ways to build a loyal client/customer for the long term.
Understanding your client and their requirement: After you have found your purpose of the startup and started your product or services in the market. It is time to analyze your client and their requirement. For instance, if you have started an advertising agency, you need to know how the market works and every aspect. If you pitch a client, make sure you do your homework and even know what their competitors are doing and what trend will boost their market growth. Your focus area should be to serve the client first.
Locking the deal with them: Locking a deal can be overwhelming. Dealing should be as transparent as it could be. Your service, deadlines, payment, delivery, etc., should be mentioned on the papers before signing. The more you be transparent, the more a genuine client will appreciate. Once you are done with locking the deal with them, this is the start of your journey towards serving them more than they expect. This is for everyone either you are selling a product or service, you need to do more than what is expected. Always under-commit and overdo. And this way, you lock the deal for the first time and create a trust for the long term.
Respect your clients: No doubt, sometimes we get irritated with client's demands and changes. This is something for those who have to deal with the client daily. But, believe me, your service is as important as then the product itself. Think from their point of view. Try to be in their shoes. For instance, when we visit a shop for buying a mobile. What do we expect? That the shopkeeper questions us our requirement and then guides us to buy a product. We have done our research before, but still, we want the shopkeeper's guidance to know about the product's reputation in the market. Apart from that, after we decided to buy a product, we want it to be as reasonable as possible. We want to be respected despite any amount we spend on the product/services. The same goes for your client. You have to give them quality while being taking care of the charges.
Build a rapport: Handling client's needs IQ and EQ both. They work in the long term if you build a rapport with them. The only reason is they find it easy to work with you. The reason could be that you listen to them, understand them, clear their confusion, help them decide what they should go for, and so on. It takes time to build a relationship with the client, but they will give you the business even if you raise your charge once they start trusting you. And the reason would be your understanding with them. But, you need to value your work and build trust. It is more about trust rather than the product itself. Have you ever visited a restaurant and find the food average. But, still, you continue to visit there, cause you find the warmth in their service. The same thing is expected by your client. How you treat them and help them is more important. We will not go to a shop where the shopkeeper gets irritated or frowning instead of helping us. And so we need to be polite and helpful towards our client/customer.
Extending help: Once the product is sold, it doesn't mean that your job is done. Taking regular feedback and rectifying it helps you in building your reputation in the market. Imagine buying a product from a shop, and when it gets damaged due to an unknown reason, the shopkeeper neither helps you nor guides you. How will you feel? You will feel abandon in a mid-way. And now, imagine you purchased a product and the same things happen. But, the shopkeeper's behaviour is different. He asks you to give them the product. He will check it and let you know what the actual problem is. Now, how will you feel? That you have been given an extended help. Now, even if he charges a bit more, you will visit his shop as he provides an extended service beyond your expectations. This is the only way to have a loyal client. First, you need to take the initiative to make them feel cared about the product and services you are providing.
Handling difficult clients/customers: We do meet with difficult clients or customers. Sometimes, handling them becomes hard. This is the time you need to be patient. First, calm them and ask about their problem. The only way you can make them feel good is by calming them and making them believe that their problem would be taken care of. If it is your mistake, then accept it. Not accepting will make them furious. So, accept it, and tell them that they will be provided help. Once you accept the mistake, their frustration will mechanically go down. Then figure out how to help him. And when you help them genuinely in the best way possible, he will appreciate you. And even if he does not appreciate you, he will not keep a bad mouth about your product and service. Apart from that, we need to keep a regular track of our product and service. Even we don't want to be paid for bad work, right? So, in the first attempt, only try to do your best. Either you are selling a product or service, do it with honesty.
These are a few points that need to be taken care of for clients/customers' long-term relationships. I hope it helps you. Comment down your experience and ways to build a relationship with your client/customer.