1. Know what they want.
It should be a no-brainer, but by listening to our clients, we learn to carefully identify what they need and want and, in return, we can provide them with the service that will meet those needs. You need to have a direct connection with your target market to get the best return on investment from your marketing spend.
The cornerstone of an effective marketing program is to have a current and accurate understanding of your clients' needs. Once you know what people expect of you, you can tailor your business objectives to meet their needs, and develop a marketing plan that clearly outlines the specific initiatives required to achieve their marketing objectives and business goals.
2. Communicate clearly
We put a premium on direct engagement, either by face-to-face contact, social media interaction or email which creates a good rapport with our clients and allows us to remain competitive in the industry. The more honest and direct we are with our clients, the more trust is built in the MOB Media brand. It is much easier to exude a client-driven business focus if you have already established a reputation of honesty and integrity.
Clients appreciate direct and honest engagement. Keeping our clients informed, and communicating clearly and honestly, creates positive word-of-mouth and referrals.
3. Use our reputation to our advantage
Small businesses often grow from referrals. Word-of-mouth is one of the most successful ways a business can quickly reach potential clients.
If a client has a good experience with our business, not only will they come back to us in the future, they are also likely to tell their friends. Clients who value our service will support us by passing on their praise – and these referrals have a strong correlation to action. Think about the last great restaurant you visited. You probably told a number of people about the excellent food, service and atmosphere and recommended they try it for themselves – and it's very likely that some of them followed your advice.
All clients want to have a good service experience. If you treat them with honesty and respect, while staying attentive to their needs, then you'll create valuable repeat business for life. And nothing can promote your business better than happy clients."
Top tips to grow your business
• Connect with other businesses – fostering relationships with other small businesses can allow you to offer a joint client experience, seamlessly meeting clients' multiple needs
• Refer yourself - if you expect to receive referrals then you must reciprocate. Research and choose your referral partners wisely
• Communicate with your clients – proactively engage with your clients by providing updates on service levels or special offers that will keep you front of mind, such as social media or a weekly email.