A) Get a new client,
B) If a new client remains your client and if
C) An Existing clients refers you to other customers
This article will not be as short as usual - but each point will be much worth your time as it will be jam packed with vital information that will help you get more customers and retain them. In this article we will look at:
A) Generating interest in your brand/product
B) Captivating interested leads
C) Building trust in your product/service
D) Converting leads into customers
E) Deliver & Impress
F) Up sell & Cross Sell
G) Get a Testimonial & referral
Let's get started!
A) Generating Interest in your Brand/Product
A customer life cycle starts much earlier than the day he sets out to buy your product/service. It starts when a customer is identified as being potentially your customer, when s/he meets the qualifications of your target audience - define your target audience here. The life cycle starts when you identify the needs and wants of a potential customer and spark that desire in your product. Generating interest is therefore the first fundamental step and should be taken seriously.
Actions to take to generate more interest:
- Start a blog
- Start a Pay per click campaign
- Use Search Engine Optimization
- Attend networking Events
- Use Social Media Platforms
- Use offline marketing - such as flyers or radio adverts!
- You can also request a digital strategy for your business and a solid plan to generate interest will be done for you. - Easy right?
B) Captivate Leads
Once you got your target audience's attention, make sure that you capture names, email addresses, likes or subscriptions. Customers do not usually buy within first contact - read more in: Are you losing 92% of potential business? In this article we established that only 8% of customers buy on initial contact. Thus you can either spend your budget repeating the initial contact experience which is not very cost effective- otherwise you can- capture leads with whom you can follow up with the steps coming up. This is a great time to start building a relationship with your potential customer.
Actions to captivate leads:
- Create offers
- Give free trials
- Put an opt-in form on your website
- Offer free subscription to your blog
- Put downloadable content on your website.
- Optimize/create your landing pages. If you are not familiar with landing pages read this article or you can ask a professional to guide you with this exercise.
C) Build Trust & Follow Up
People work with other people they like and trust. Unless they trust you, potential clients, will not work with you. So take the time to build trust. It may sound intimidating, but it really is very straightforward. Keep these simple things in mind - be yourself, be transparent and acknowledge mistakes, don't make fake promises instead make promises and keep them. Moreover, with the emails gathered in the previous step, you can now educate your customers-to-be by answering frequently asked questions, and take action when you see interest.
Actions to build trust & follow up
- Make a list of FAQ's and answer each one
- Create a blog to share these answers
- Send email shots weekly to keep contact
D) Convert into Customers
Now that the hard part is done you can focus on delivering what you promised. Make sure that both you and your customer know what you are expecting of each other so that none of you get to face the bitter end. This can run smoother if you have a set model to follow through each time - to make sure that nothing was missed. Now is the time you collect the cash or part of it - make sure your customer is committed!
Actions to convert leads into customers:
- Set a Shopping cart on Your website to secure the sale.
- Write down your terms & conditions
- Explain T & C to your customer and get them signed
E) Deliver & Impress
Impressing your customer will not only get you a happy customer but automatic referrals and testimonials. So, make sure that once the sale is done you don't slack and give a poor delivery. Some problems might occur after the sale, but you need to make sure that you stay vigilant and focus on getting the job done well. If problems occur, be transparent and explain the issue to your customer.
Actions to deliver & Impress:
- Set internal checkups to make sure everyone is doing their part to the best standards
- Keep in touch with your customers throughout the progress and keep them up to date.
F) Cross Sell & Up Sell
Whilst at it, you can easily up sell and cross sell related products. This is especially easy if your selling process is online. By closely monitoring your site and orders you can determine a pattern of items bought together, or you can tackle it also from the customers' needs point of view. By offering a selection of items closely related to the item of interest you can increase customer satisfaction and higher revenue. If your product has a renewal date or expires send renewal well ahead of time to get an opportunity to maintain that customer.
Actions to Cross Sell & Up sell
Actions to Cross Sell & Up sell
- Following the target audience sheet group your items to cross sell
- Set up an action plan for cross-selling
- Use cross selling on your website
- Track sales and items bought together
- Install Google analytic on your website to monitor which items your clients view in the same visit
- monitor & improve this process
G) Get a Testimonial
Up till today, many businesses relied on word of mouth for new customers. Today this changed only in the sense that it is now done online (other than offline) which means it is much faster and a good comment can mean a load more customers because it is reaching a much wider audience. Displaying testimonials on your website, social media pages and profiles is a great way to build trust.
Actions to Get Testimonials
- After each custom, send a questionnaire to learn where you can improve your service and what is already great!
- If one strikes you to be particularly positive ask the customer to write a review for you to display on your online presence.
