How to Keep Your Clients Coming Back for More

No question, it’s far more expensive and time-consuming to attract new clients than it is to get more business from your current clients. Here are 7 ideas to help you keep your current clients coming back for more.

1) First and foremost, you need to make sure your clients have received (or are receiving) tangible results from working with you–and even further, you want to make sure that the value you provide them EXCEEDS their monetary investment in working with you. It will be easier to retain them if they clearly see a return on their investment.

2) Develop a personal relationship with your clients. People do business with people. Make sure your clients know that they’re not just another number to you…that you care about them and their success. Show an interest in them on a personal level.

3) Under-promise and over-deliver. Add in little bonuses and “delighters” that your clients don’t necessarily expect. For example, you could provide special “Inner Circle” discounts on your new programs and products to those who’ve worked with you in the past.

4) Always have a next step. Be sure to offer different options for working together, with a logical order of progression. If you’re not sure what would be a good next step for them, go ahead and ask your clients directly. Find out what they would “do anything or pay anything for”…what would knock their socks off. Then, create exactly what they’re looking for.

5) Address any “elephants on the table.” In addition to getting feedback from your clients on what additional services or products they’d like from you, make sure you ask them for candid feedback on their experience with you thus far. Let them know you’re focused on continually improving how you do business and that you’re fully open to any suggestions they can share with you. And don’t just wait until the end of your time together. If you have a sense that there’s any tension building, address it immediately. This way, you have the opportunity to resolve the issue right away, instead of them keeping it to themselves and silently transitioning to work with someone else when your contract is over.

6) Stay current. It’s important to be on top of the trends in your industry. When you make your growth and development a priority, your clients will get the benefit of the training and mentoring you invest in. And as you learn more, you’ll have more to offer them.

7) Use the 80/20 rule to direct your energy appropriately. According to the 80/20 rule, 80% of your profits will come from 20% of your clients. Similarly, 80% of your frustrations will come from 20% of your clients. Be sure to know who’s in each of these groups. Focus your energy and attention on the 20% who provide you with the greatest return on that energy and attention–and don’t be afraid to let go of the clients who are draining you.

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