|
Optimize Search Engine Results | How to Optimize Search Engine Results | Optimize Search Engine Results |
As a professional services provider, it’s wise to remember that customers are calling upon you to provide something they can’t do for themselves. The very fact that they can’t do it themselves means that they are uncertain about what it is that needs to be done, how it should be done, and at what cost. What can you do to improve the chances that this customer will ultimately become a raving fans and the source of many future referrals? Eliminate the mystery of what you are doing. The degree to which you can give your customer confidence, clarity and control will result in a great experience for you and your customer. Your job is to demystify the changes your customer is facing. Most customers prefer that any mystery in their life is limited to best-selling books and film. As entertainment, mystery is a lot of fun; in the workplace it is a recipe for disaster. Provide and Guide - From the very beginning, spell out what is going to be happening. Walk your customer through the various steps and milestones. Have a checklist; it provides comfort to your customer. The first time you explain the process, just assume that the customer may have some confusion. With your patient guidance, they will begin to get clarity with each step. Seeing progress on the checklist will give them larger and larger chunks of confidence. This means greater confidence in you and their decision to engage you. Explain and Ask - While the process is very familiar to you, it’s brand new to the customer. Keep returning to and explaining the process. Your explanations serve to educate the customer and give them greater understanding of what is happening and why. Short term, this education will go a long way in soothing the pain of change. Long term, the better educated the customer is, the better able they are to refer you in an intelligent meaningful and enthusiastic way. Ask questions and probe for areas that may remain unclear to them. It allows you to uncover any unspoken fears. Review and Celebrate - Take the time to sit down and review significant milestones with your customer. It showcases the accuracy of the “map” and the guidance you are providing as well as reinforcing the steady progress that is being made. And it’s a great opportunity to celebrate with the customer. They are closer to completing the transformation that is going to make their business better; you are closer to the finish line of your mutual success. Be sensitive to how stressful change can be. New customers may enter into the project with many unexpressed emotions that could range from concern to fear, mild stress to anxiety, will this cause pain, will this cost me my job. Go out of your way to address the unspoken worries of your new customer by providing and guiding, explaining and asking, reviewing and celebrating will give them the confidence, clarity and control to get through the process with less anxiety and more enthusiasm. As a result they will be thrilled with you and much more likely to rave and refer. Dawn Westerberg helps business owners focus on the right target audience to attract ideal profitable customer who do repeat business. For more information onMarketing Strategy and other articles written to help small business please visit http://dawnwesterberg.com/ |
| Search Marketing Expert Search marketing |
Posts Tagged ‘referrals’
Remove The Mystery Even When The Client Doesn’t Ask
Friday, September 3rd, 20105 Crucial Keys To Word Of Mouth Marketing Success
Monday, July 26th, 2010|
Optimize Search Engine Results | How to Optimize Search Engine Results | Optimize Search Engine Results |
Here are five crucial reasons why building by purposeful word-of-mouth marketing is one of the smartest ways in which you can go. 1. Personal recommendation is one of the cheapest methods to get new clients. You can get referrals without spending any money! Get the mind-set right and you’ll all of a sudden see all of the opportunities for referrals just around in your business and your current buyers. It is worth acting upon. 2. Studies have found that referred clients come back more regularly and spend more than clients brought in by any other selling method. A customer coming from recommendation by friends can be worth much more so don’t just measure the quantity. Check the life-time value of your referred clients and compare that to any other system you use. Almost always you’ll find a valuable difference. 3. Personal recommendation clients tend to complain less, pay on time more frequently, and are generally more enjoyable to work with. Certainly referred clients are pre-selected for your service, and your way of conducting business. Even better though, they are far more open to you right from the start. This is basically because word of mouth transfers not just technical data about your product or service, it also transfers trust. 4. A systematic personal recommendation technique can double the scale of your business in under a year! Of course, if every one of your clients refer, normally only 1 person annually, then you’ll double your customer base every year! You can create referral opportunities, and also prepare to be right there in an individual’s mind when someone they know has need of you. Lastly, and best of all… 5. A client who comes by referral is much more sure to send you more referrals. There’s a virtuous cycle. A referred client already understands you accept referrals, they have experienced how you’ll treat somebody they refer, and they are already proven to chat to others about what they needed when they came to you. With all theses advantages of personal recommendation selling, don’t leave this strong strategy to chance. Set aside time, a budget and have a plan, like you would any other advertising or lead generation system. Deliberate attention to personal recommendation will reward you with more buyers, higher profits, and a more enjoyable business life as well! Author Martin Russell covers word of mouth referrals here. |
| Search Marketing Expert Search marketing |