6 Tips to Get Your Clients Barking Like Dogs

A key to business success is having loyal customers.

Too many businesses neglect their loyal customer base because they are consistently looking for new customers. But the truth is you will sell more of your products and services to existing customers, more regularly.

By practicing these basic six tips, you will foster greater loyalty in your customers that will reward your business with higher profits than before.

1. Always thank your customers. It is extremely important to always say, “thank you” to new and existing customers for doing business with you. Thanking all of your customers should be done verbally, through e-mail, or through a handwritten note. By doing this, your customers will understand they are appreciated and valued.
2. Customize and personalize each customer. Know the names of your regular customers. Also, review and recommend other products and/or services that compliment the products and/or services they regularly buy. Think about it this way, how great does it feel when the Starbucks lady greets you every visit by name and knows your exact drink order? You only go to that Starbucks and you always tip her now. The same concept will work on your customers.
3. Know why past customers left. Everyone has heard the saying, “learn from your mistakes.” This can be achieved by fixing problems and searching for ways to improve your business.
4. Survey your customers. Survey research is used to identify and solve problems. Surveys should be kept short, simple, and unbiased. Questions provided on each survey should include simple answer choices. Examples of simple answer choices would be, “satisfied/unsatisfied” or “true/false.” If assistance is needed for a proper survey design, professional services are available.
5. Credibility is a must. Every single time, do exactly what you told your customer you would do for them. If you have any hidden agendas, in most cases, you will lose your customers. Transparency is important in this relationship as it increases trust.
6. Make loyalty-building a commitment. All employees in your business are responsible for fostering customer loyalty and making this a priority. As an employee, a requirement is to be trained in how to deliver and convey the customer loyalty message. Make sure everyone has an understanding about how important the customer truly is.