Client retention is unfortunately not something that concerns everyone. There are corporations who have a huge client base and a high client turnover. With as many new clients coming in as old ones going out, they aren’t losing revenue, seldom building actual relationships and as a result, couldn’t care less when they drop off the radar… Sort of like Elizabeth Taylor and her husbands.

However, the global economy has fallen upon hard times, making clients in many industries a scarce commodity. In this environment, entrepreneurs and SMEs particularly, need to be wary of budget cuts and being on the wrong end of them. The only way to do this really is to prioritise client retention and build it into your business strategy.

You can hold on to your clients by offering consistent value. (Image by Erix! under CC)

1). Remember the 3 Cs: Consistency, Commitment and Communication

Ok, so maybe I just made that up, but everyone knows that Marketers love über cheesy snippets of jargon tied together with a neat little thematic ribbons (4 Ps anyone?).

• Consistency should be the foundation of your relationships with your clients, while being an approach that is applied to every interaction you have with them. This builds trust and gives your company a professional and reliable visage that will stand you in good stead when the time comes for your clients to review their budgets.
• Commitment is equally crucial, both in the making of it and the sticking to it. This means that you need to make promises and then be able to deliver on them with a high quality product, on time. Don’t ever make promises you aren’t sure you’ll be able to keep.
• Communication is another biggie – the lack thereof has been the downfall of many a company/client relationship. If you manage to connect on a personal level with your clients, you will understand their needs and be better able to fulfil them. This shared understanding will result in a deeper lever of brand loyalty which will ultimately serve to keep you in their payroll.

2). Never Stop Selling (Discerningly)

This applies in a totally non-door-to-door-carpet-cleaner salesman kind of way. In fact, indiscriminately bombarding your clients with product offerings is unlikely to result in any sales and might make them run a mile right into the welcoming arms of a less pushy competitor. Continual selling is more about knowing your clients well enough to understand their underlying needs, developing new and innovative solutions to meet those needs and then marketing those solutions effectively.

3). Educate Yourself

The more you know, the more you have the capacity to do. The more you have the capacity to do, the more you have to offer your clients in terms of value and service delivery. The world we live in a fast changing one, whatever industry you work in. Keeping pace with it and continually evolving your skills and knowledge will ensure that you remain a competitive player in the market and that your customers will consider you to be a life-long resource as opposed to one that was convenient at the time, but could be discarded after use.

4). Educate Your Clients

There’s a good chance that your clients have little or no understanding of what you do or how you do it. Keeping your clients informed of your evolving knowledge proves your worth and diversifies your value, while sharing resources and valuable information with them will bring value to their business and result in several noddy badges for you.

5). Let Your Clients Get Involved

Getting your clients involved in your business will make them feel like you value them and their opinions. But don’t just pretend… you have to actually care. The resulting realisation that they are valued and appreciated will build loyalty and give your clients a sense of belonging and connection to your brand.
Relationships of any variety are a two way street. Ask your clients what they want, get feedback on the work you do for them, implement valuable recommendations and feedback to them where appropriate. The benefits of this will be far reaching.