Exceed Expectations to Boost Sales
If you want to increase your level of returning customers, there is one major thing that you need to take care of at the very beginning of every relationship - Expectations.
This may sound simple, but if you don’t spell out what you are going to provide for the money, you can run into major confusion and complications in the future. And it goes both ways. Your customers need to tell you what they expect too.
With this in mind, here are three key tips to think about when you begin to work on any new projects or customer sales:
1. Communicate goals.
Before you exchange funds, products and/or services, talk about final outcomes and what you both expect out of the relationship. You should understand potential issues, tactics, budget constraints, potential results, and any other important details prior to working together.
2. Get it in writing.
Whether it’s a stream of e-mails or an official contract, write down exactly what you will provide and what the customer or client can expect from you. Even if you have a casual relationship, this will help clarify actions, fees, deadlines, and potential results.
3. Stick to your plan.
Once your relationship is underway, be sure you provide what you promised. Stay in touch with your customers, and be sure they are aware of any changes or problems. And to build a solid customer base and good word-of-mouth, go above and beyond customer expectations. Provide personal attention and extra services whenever possible.
By being honest and upfront with customers, you will reduce stress, meet deadlines and avoid unnecessary surprises. And if you make the extra effort to provide customers with additional, unexpected services that exceed their expectations, you’ll be well on your way to surpassing the competition and boosting sales.
Need help with your public relations and SEO copywriting efforts to increase sales? Please write to me here or at www.rembrandtwrites.com. I’m here to help!
November 11th, 2009 at 7:21 am
hello baby girl.my name is wale i wish to tell you about my compan
November 11th, 2009 at 7:23 am
hello baby girl i my name is wale i want you suoppot my company thank
November 13th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Not following up is the killer I think. How to lose clients in 15 seconds ….
November 13th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
Hi Melanie,
I agree. It’s important to follow up with potential clients (and current customers) on a regular basis!
Melanie Rembrandt, rembrandtwrites.com
May 19th, 2010 at 12:53 am
Absolutely right Melanie! If I did everything perfect, I wouldn’t get half the recommendations I get from fixing problems I literally caused in the first place. I used to get down on myself if everything didn’t go perfect with every customer, but then I saw that every time someone talked about how happy they were with the service, the story always started with how I’d screwed something up! Seems crazy, but there’s times I think I should miss a deadline or screw up an order just so the customer will see how good we are at fixing problems! Then I realize I can mess things up enough without trying so I’ll just wait for the next unforeseen chance to WOW that customer.
May 19th, 2010 at 6:11 am
Hi HRAS,
It’s amazing what happens when you treat your customers well and provide great services, isn’t it? …And such a simple concept that seems to be forgotten frequently.
Thanks for your comment, and all the best,
Melanie, rembrandtwrites.com