Once you realize the positive difference when working with your ideal clients you will want to continue to attract more like them. You will also want to build and continue those relationships. You should have processes in place to effectively continue to attract ideal clients, encourage repeat business and build client retention that lasts a lifetime.
Some of the most effective ways to do this include creating positive client experiences with happy endings, requesting referrals, and content marketing. Let’s dive into each of those.
Amazing Brand Experience
Too often design firms approach client management reactively. Instead, become proactive and create a client management process that becomes an Amazing Brand Experience.
Start by setting expectations before your prospects become clients through your website and initial interviews. Then, when you have identified them as ideal clients, continue the relationship-building through your client onboarding process. Create effective processes for your business and be sure that clear communication is a key part of those processes throughout the project. If you do that, you will be building an amazing brand experience for your clients.
But don’t stop there. Develop that amazing brand experience to continue beyond the end of the project so that you can stay in touch with those clients. It might include a referral program with a cover letter explaining how it works. That program might involve gifts, or referral awards they will receive. It could also include gift certificates for some service of value they can give to their friends.
The Amazing Brand Experience for current and past clients could involve cards being sent for certain events during the year – holidays or the client’s birthdays, anniversaries, etc. It might include monthly or quarterly newsletters, a New Year’s checklist to start the year off right, or a special card or gift to commemorate the anniversary of the completion of their project. The idea is that you set up a process that creates opportunities to stay in touch and increase client retention.
Content Marketing
Content marketing is promoting a product, service or brand to your ideal clients. According to Rock Content, recent research by Content Marketing Institute (CMI) shows that content marketing has been efficient at increasing engagement by 72%. In addition, it is an effective strategy that can yield positive results well into the future.
To increase the effectiveness of your long-term decision-making for your brand, it’s important to understand the various content formats. That content may be newsletters, social media posts, newsletters, videos, blogs and more.
Clearly communicate your unique selling proposition (USP). Tell your story through content marketing. Develop a relationship with your prospective and current ideal clients through how you communicate your brand. Content marketing gives you the opportunity to share the value that your company places on your clients. Use it as a channel for giving away information and establishing yourself as an authority on your topic. Content marketing is not about making a sale. Instead, it’s a long-term strategy that primes potential clients to eventually buy from you. It can also increase client retention by giving past clients a reason to continue engaging with you.
A key to its success though is that no matter what types of content you decide to use, be consistent. When building and nurturing a lifetime relationship with prospects and ideal clients, how often you post is as important as the quality.
Referrals
I’m sure you are aware of the value of referrals in building client retention, loyalty and value to your brand and your business.
But some of you may forget to include this process in your weekly calendaring. Don’t wait until business slows down and then start marketing in desperation mode! By steadily and regularly building and connecting with your referral base, you can eliminate cold calls.
In an article by Duct Tape Marketing, they share that 85% of small businesses say their customers learned about them through someone they know. And in a report by InfusionSoft about 62% of small businesses consider word-of-mouth the most effective marketing strategy. So how can you acquire those referrals? Word-of-mouth referrals are very valuable but understand that they take time and commitment. That’s where adding marketing automation can help build interest and help with the old-fashioned word-of-mouth referrals.
Marketing automation is software that enhances your marketing plan by making it more effective and focused using various tools, including email. It gives you the ability to generate leads by identifying data about your prospective clients’ activities and interests, helping you to direct the right content to the right channels.
An email CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software system is extremely valuable to keep in touch regularly, which is key to client retention. If you are not currently using CRM software, consider adding one of the programs available to your marketing plan. AWeber, Constant Contact, or HoneyBook are several programs tailored to smaller companies. If you have larger long-term plans for marketing, then look into InfusionSoft. These programs will help you keep track of contacts and see data about their interactions with emails. In short, it helps you organize and gain insights into your marketing communications.
From the first “touch” with a potential ideal client, focus on credibility and building trust and you will unlock the key to generating referrals. A strong, effective brand is one that puts a priority on client satisfaction and loyalty. That in turn leads to enthusiastic client advocates who will promote your brand to others.
In the words of Walt Disney, “Do what you do so well, that people can’t resist telling others about you”.