If you decide you want to try and make it as an entrepreneur, you’ll need to figure out which niche interests you. You’ll need the right training and probably the proper mentorship as well. With the right company idea and execution, you can establish yourself and start down the path toward wealth and notoriety.
If you operate a business that needs clients, you’ll want to land some good ones as soon as possible. If you can retain them, they can help keep the company afloat as you try to establish yourself within your niche.
Let’s talk about some ways that you can retain the clients that you attract. If you can do that, you should remain solvent and stay ahead of your closest competitors.
Give Your Clients the Appropriate Gifts
If you run a company like Amazon, where people buy things from your corporation, and you send them through the mail, you won’t get to know each customer personally. Besides, most will only buy small or inexpensive items from you. You won’t need to get them any corporate gifts.
If you have clients that buy thousands of dollars of merchandise from you with every order, though, you should establish personal relationships with them if you can. When it comes to retaining clients, luxury corporate gifts can do the job more times than not. You need to figure out what each client might like based on what you know about them.
For instance, you might give a client some sports or concert tickets. You may provide them with a bottle of high-end liquor or a pass to a fancy golf course if they like to play.
If you can send the right gift during the holiday season or for a client’s birthday, they’ll likely keep using your company. That sometimes means tens of thousands of dollars or more coming your way regularly.
Provide the Best Possible Products and Services
If you don’t provide the best possible services or products, you likely can’t retain your clients. As an entrepreneur and company head, you must ensure that you’re competing within your niche. Other companies might make similar services or products, and you must do all you can to ensure that yours beat out these options.
You can use your research and development team to make sure your products last longer, and they’re made from better materials. They should represent your company with their efficiency and effectiveness.
Your services should consistently deliver exactly what a client wants. If you can do this every time, there’s no reason why they should ever go with a competitor. They might stay with you for many years, and you can rely on them for their unwavering financial support. Steady customers can help keep your business above water during any lean times that come.
Be There for Them with Excellent Customer Service
If you make a product or service that’s virtually the same or very similar to another company’s offerings, you need something that sets you apart and keeps a client coming back. Great customer service and constant availability usually make the difference in client retention.
Let’s say that a client always buys their products from you. Maybe you manufacture a particular machine part that the customer uses for their own product creation. You sell them this part by the thousands, making this client extremely valuable to you.
You must let them know that you value their business and that you’re there for them 100% of the time if anything goes wrong or they ever feel unhappy about what you provide. Give them your private phone number and tell them to contact you if that’s ever necessary.
Failing that, give them a number to call or someone to contact who can immediately address any customer need or concern. If your client knows that you’ll spring into action the second they need something in your power to give, they should stick with you. Making them feel valued should yield loyalty.
Make the Personal Connection
Earlier, we spoke about the Amazon business model. Though many people use the company for home purchases, they rarely talk to anyone from that company in person. Why would they, if they’re simply buying one or two items that an anonymous driver drops off at their door?
Entrepreneurs who want to retain clients will find themselves in the opposite position. They will probably meet their biggest customers in person and learn all about them.
You need to learn about a client before you meet with them. You should know their name, age, marital status, hobbies, etc. You can demonstrate that you value them instantly when you show them you know all of that during the initial meeting.
You might have to spend some time wooing this client. Try to figure out their personality type and connect with them on an emotional level. Big spenders might want you to wine and dine them before they give your company a huge contract.
Go the Extra Mile
Entrepreneurs know that a few key clients can make or break their business model. Getting and retaining those clients should be a high priority for you. That means doing things for these VIP clients that you would not do for smaller ones.
You must have measures in place to keep these bigger clients happy, always within reason and within your means. Maybe that means sending a limo to pick up a potential or current client at the airport if they fly in to discuss a new product shipment with you. You might send a private plane to get them and bring them to you if they don’t want to fly commercial.
You might accompany them to one of the world’s biggest sporting events if they express an interest. You can try to pull strings to get their child an interview at a prestigious university if you have that kind of clout. Anything you can think of to go that extra mile and keep that client isn’t off-limits.
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