Make it Personal: Ideas for Authentically Connecting with Clients
Every year, many business owners strive to increase profits, expand their business, and improve customer relations, but often miss the mark. One of the best ways to improve your business’s ratings and lead conversions, as well as turn leads into recurring sales, is to establish an authentic connection by building a rapport with your clients and customers, thus creating a “personal brand.” A successful business owner should be able to personalise their brand in a way that makes clients enjoy a more comfortable experience and more likely to buy from them again and again. There are a few key ways to make this happen, so we have compiled a list of the key ways to establish this authentic relationship with each and every client.
Work to Better Understand Your Clients
The first step to making authentic connections with your clients and customers is working to understand them both as a consumer and as a person. Be sure that you greet each client with a friendly demeanour and ask the important questions. It may help to sit down beforehand and consider your product to draw up a list of related questions that you would naturally ask people. Asking the right questions cannot only help you understand where the client’s need for your product lies but help you form a more personalised sales pitch and more enjoyable experience for each client. If you understand their needs, you can explain how your product will solve a problem or offer benefit to them individually.
This type of personalised sales pitch will not only increase sales but may open a door for a more personal relationship. The conversation can easily begin with product related questions and then lead to a more personal conversation. For instance, a gift shop owner may ask about the occasion for the gift. Upon learning that the client’s daughter is graduating, they may be able to suggest other gifts suited for grads as well. For eCommerce, this may be a bit more difficult, which is why it is a good idea to keep a list of important questions related to your product handy.
Remember What You Learn and Let Them Know You Were Listening
During exchanges with your clients, pay attention to any details they may drop. For instance, if the same client returns to the gift shop later to purchase a gift for another occasion, the owner may ask how the graduation went. The client will most likely be surprised that you remembered and feel like their business is valued.
You should also pay attention to details such as names or professions. When a client drops personal information, you should always retain it for later use. Calling a client by their name is a great way to make them feel like they matter to you and your brand. Creating these personal relationships will make you and your brand seem more trustworthy, thus making each client more comfortable when handling business exchanges with you.
However, it is important that you value your client’s space and privacy as well. Instead of directly asking a client their name, for instance, try introducing yourself first. Often, the client will follow by introducing themselves as well. It is better to have the client willingly divulge their personal information than to compromise their privacy by asking.
Show Clients that You’re a Person, Too
Your clients will feel more comfortable purchasing your product if your company has a personal, humanised front face. You can do this in multiple ways, but one of the best includes divulging a bit of your personal information. This can be as simple as writing a short backstory and placing it on your company’s website. Consider explaining where you started, why you are passionate about your brand, how you got where you are, what is important to you, etc. Don’t be ashamed to add a few imperfect details, as they can help to humanise you and make clients feel less intimidated. Don’t get too personal, though, as too much sticky information may make a client even more uncomfortable.
Don’t Sound So Stiff
You will see better results when you talk to clients like they are people, not consumers. While your business-tech-speak may make perfect sense to you, for others it may be intimidating. Intimidating your clients with words or phrases they aren’t comfortable with may deter them from purchasing your products.
You should also avoid robotic sales pitches. It is always best to pitch your product to most clients in layman’s terms unless you know you are speaking to an expert. Generally, this personal, soft touch will yield much better pitching results.
Utilise Social Media to Stay Connected
Social media is by far one of the best ways to connect with clients in modern society. Urge your clients to follow your social media accounts. Not only will you be able to consistently market to them, but they will have an outlet to contact you to ask you questions or inform you of their concerns relating to your product or brand. Clients are much more likely to shoot you a Facebook message or twitter comment than to email you, simply because they already use their social media accounts several times a day.
Additionally, you will be able to get a bit more insight on your clients from their social media accounts. Not only can you better market to them as individuals, but you can follow up with them after a purchase or interaction. This will make a client feel valued and encourage them to purchase from you again in the future. Seeing your brand actively involved on social media will help them think of it as a livelier, public business, especially as other clients will be able to publicly share and review your products and services. The voice of many is always stronger than the voice of one.
Provide a Genuine Follow-Up
When you decide to follow up with customers after a purchase, whether by phone, email, or by utilising social media, you should be sure to do so as genuinely as possible. A robotic message is much less likely to get a response than a personalised message to your clients. You can include details, such as the client’s name, purchase date, or details that may have been exposed during a conversation you held. Then, inquire about the product. You should ask if it was received on time (if shipped), if the product functions as it should, if the customer is satisfied or the product meets expectations, and if the customer has any questions.
Don’t end your follow up like it is the end of the transaction. Instead, encourage the client to contact you in the future if they have concerns or questions or if they may be interested in purchasing another product. Sometimes, you will not get a response. Other times, you may get important feedback, which can help you make that client (and others) happier in the future.
