How to Make Customers Love Your Business and Keep Them Loyal!

February is considered the "love" month by many people due to the fact that Valentine's day falls on the 14th of the month. Whether you celebrate Valentine's day or not, February is a great time to show your customers some love. And, Valentine's day is a great excuse to shower your customers with gratitude and appreciation.

As a small business owner, entrepreneur, or leader, no matter what industry you are in, you undoubtedly have loads of competition. In today's business climate, providing customers with a superior experience goes a long way in attracting, serving, retaining, and keeping customers happy so that they want to continue patronizing your business again and again.

There are many ways you can keep customers happy so that they fall in love with your business. However, let's first talk about the advantages of showering your customers with love.

1. Loyalty - Brand loyalty is priceless. Think of your favorite brand of any product that you absolutely will not settle for the generic or any substitute for. Now that you have that image in your mind, think of how good it would feel if your customers felt that same way about your products and services.
2. Referrals - Happy customers are likely to tell other people about their experience with your company. Having customers who are willfully selling your company to their network is a huge bonus.
3. Sales - Making your customers feel loved and appreciated will undoubtedly result in more sales for your business. No further explanation is necessary.

Now that we have uncovered the top 3 benefits of making your customers fall in love with your business, you have the foundation for why sparking a love connection with your customers is absolutely necessary. At this point, you might be asking yourself, "how do I get started?" Or you may be wondering exactly how to go about sparking this love connection with your customers beyond saying please and thank you.

Glad you asked.

Here are the TOP 3 KEY ways to make customers love your business so you can keep them loyal.

1. BUILD TRUST

When it comes to business, there is nothing that can replace trust. Trust breeds respect and loyalty. Loyalty breeds customer retention and many more positive outcomes. According to Stephen M.R. Covey in his NY Best Seller,?The Speed of Trust, ?the one thing that impacts us 24/7, 365 days a year is trust. Covey says about trust: “it undergirds and affects the quality of every relationship, every communication, every work project, every business venture, every effort in which we are engaged. It changes the quality of every present moment of our lives – both personally and professionally.

When it comes to business, most people seem to value having a partner rather than just having a provider or supplier. Personally speaking, I prefer to build relationships with the people I do business with. I don’t want it to feel transactional as opposed to relational. To keep customers happy, you must build trust in everything you do.

Here are a few ways you can build trust.

• Communicate?– Make sure the lines of communication are open between you and your customers. People should know your customer service hours and should receive prompt responses.
• Follow Up?– Never leave your customers hanging. Get them the information they need to do business with you.
• Train your Staff/Team?– Let your staff and team members know that the customers come first.
• Be Transparent?– Notify your customers of any news that affects your business which in turn will affect them.

2. ASK FOR CUSTOMER FEEDBACK

It is no secret that people love giving their opinion about anything and everything. Asking customers for their feedback when it comes to doing business is a great way to have your pulse on your target audience without spending a ton of money. More importantly, getting your customers to give you feedback can assist your company with research and development as well as being on the cutting edge of trends. Getting customer feedback doesn’t have to be complicated at all. There are many ways to gather this information in rather efficient and economical ways.

Here are 10 ways you can get customers to give you feedback.

1. Surveys
2. Email
3. Live Chats
4. Social Media Polls
5. Focus Groups
6. Point of Sale
7. Customer Service Hotline
8. Social Media
9. Feedback Boxes
10. Rewards/Incentives

3. SHOW GRATITUDE

We live in a society where some people forget the value of two very common words: please and thank you. In business, forgetting to use these two words is an egregious practice. I believe thankful companies are the most successful companies. Showing customers that you care about them is an easy way to ensure they keep coming back. Quite simply, customer appreciation goes a long way. To demonstrate this point, think of how many times you have seen major retailers recognize, honor, and celebrate their customers. And if you happened to be one of those customers on the receiving end of that gratitude, I’m sure you enjoyed the demonstration of gratitude.

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Here’s what you need to know about customers who feel appreciated, they spend more and keep coming back. According to?RJMetrics , top customers spend 5x more per order, make 4x more purchases, and spend 30x more than the average customer. These numbers prove that it pays to appreciate your customers because, in the long run, they’ll be loyal to you.

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Here are a few examples of companies that really go the extra mile to show gratitude to their customers.

Ritz Carlton?– The brand signifies the most upscale and elite hotel?customer service experience ?in the world.?Raise your hand if you love the white glove touch with crisp white linen, terry cloth bathrobe, and plush slippers? Oh yeah, the concierge is top-notch!

Ben & Jerry’s?– Who doesn’t like free ice cream? With?Free Cone Day, ?Ben & Jerry’s makes customers feel valued and appreciated.

Chick-Fil-A?– For the fast-food industry, they are winning with?employee training ?that focuses on company, community, and competition.?They clearly beat their competitors when it comes to?quality service.

The bottom line is simply, people like doing business with people who make them feel appreciated. That’s why this famous quote from world-class, poet, author, and activist Dr. Maya Angelou is so fitting to me when it comes to customer service.

“People will forget what you said. They will forget what you did. But they will never forget how you made them feel.”

– Maya Angelou

There you have it, the above tips outline the perfect recipe to help you make your customers fall in love with your business so you can thrive and not just survive. Remember, in today's economic climate, the customer experience is what can give you the competitive edge when it comes to winning market share. Make your customers fall in love with your business and you will reap the rewards over and over again.

This article was written by Lori A. Manns, President of Quality Media Consultant Group.? Portions of this article first appeared on the Quality Media Consultant Group Blog found here.

If you would like a solid business strategy to help you gain customer/client loyalty, contact the team at Quality Media Consultant Group or book a complimentary 15 minute, discovery call with Lori here.

Connect with Lori on LinkedIn, here.