Episode 172 - Keeping Clients Engaged and Loyal Through Real Connection

 Good day and welcome to The Budding Entrepreneur podcast. I'm your host, Randy Bridges. In each episode, we dive into practical business strategies that you can put to work in your business right away. 

We also focus on inspiring stories from leaders who are shaping and making things happen in their industry. It's all about giving you the tools and insights to take you and your business to the next level. So get comfortable and let's jump right in. 

All right, all right, we are on episode 172 of the podcast. Today is Friday, November 8th, 2024. This episode is going to be really kind of fun because we're going to break into some different things. 

I've been talking each month about a particular topic and doing something across the quarter, but we're going to make some changes today and we're going to do something that's going to maybe provide you with a little bit more helpful everyday concepts of what's going through as part of being in business. So we're going to be doing a lot of client customer engagement today. We're really going to focus on that. 

We're going to look at how all of that wraps together. We're going to have a quote from a great gentleman that I know, Michael Walker, and we're going to be talking today about a book that is very valuable in your journey for client and customer engagement. Today's quote does come from Michael G. Walker.

He said, clients don't just want to be heard, they want to be understood. True excitement happens when we take the time to truly listen and respond. And that's key for a lot of pieces of everything we go through when we're working with customers, when we're working with clients, and we want to be able to do something that is in complete alignment with what they want.

And so this is one good way to do it. Focus exclusively on the client interaction. And in fact, this particular episode is going to be titled Keeping Clients Engaged and Loyal Through Real Connections. 

We're looking into the business strategies here as a whole concept, but I first want to talk a little bit about where we're going through the end of the year. As we step into November and December, we're going to make a shift by tackling some of the most common roadblocks that new and growing businesses run into. These are challenges that come up time and time again for entrepreneurs looking to get their footing, especially as they work to balance building something that's lasting, navigating the unexpected twists and turns that come with running a business, especially when the pressure is on to perform.

We've talked about the quote a little bit, and so now what we're going to do is dive more into this whole idea of keeping your clients around for the long haul. You know, in the hustle of getting new clients, we often forget that there's real gold in the relationships that we already have. Because of the nurturing process that you go through when you're working with clients, they become the clients that you want to see succeed while they begin to know you and continue trusting you and seeing you succeed. 

While I'm looking at this, I want to do something we haven't done in a while, and that's looking at books that service the topic that we're talking about. In this case, Mike Walker did a book. It was entitled Exceptional Experience, Creating a Business Your Customers Will Love. 

Looking at the different chapters of everything, I want to kind of go through and give you the chapter titles so you kind of get a sense of exactly where he runs with this book. This is a gentleman that's been doing customer engagement, customer experiences, however you call it. He's been doing it for, I don't know, 20 some odd years.

In his book, After the Introduction, chapter one, Introduction to Client Services, What It Is and What It Isn't. Chapter two, From Prospect to Advocate, Crafting a Memorable Client Journey. And that's a topic that we'll be talking about sometime in the near future, but the idea of the client journey, we've discussed it in the past.

We're going to go a little deeper in a couple of weeks. Chapter three, Engineering Happiness, Creating an Exceptional Experience. Chapter four, Balancing Heart and Data, Client Relationship Management. 

Nothing can be managed if it can't be measured, and that's to kind of keep in your mind as you're going through your business. Always make sure you're able to measure what it is that you're trying to improve. Chapter five is on Unlocking Loyalty with Your Client. 

Chapter six, Mastering Customer Service Training and Development. And then chapter seven is Additional Resources and Review. This is a great book. 

It's not super, super long. The last section of it is resources, and that starts on page 103 of the book. You can get it in Kindle, which is what I did. 

You can also get the softback, and I believe he's released the hardback for it as well. Not super expensive, but definitely a great read. If nothing else, it gives you an opportunity to take a look at your client experience that you've developed and make a process of moving through that. 

We'll be talking more about that later on today. Our first topic is Why Retention Matters More Than You Think. It starts with keeping everything leveraged, being efficient. 

You're not always in chase mode, burning time and money just to find new clients. Instead, you're building on what's already working. In my case, I have one client that's been with me since 2005, and another one has been with me since 2016. 

And both of them, even though I started working in one aspect of dealing with business, have continued working with me through other aspects. If I just looked at what I was focusing on, I would lose the ability to go back and see what I've done. But by keeping these clients on file, keeping them on on topic with what I'm doing, and managing this process long term, it provides me great value. 

And here's the thing about your loyal clients, especially these long-term clients. They become walking billboards. If they've had a great experience with you, they're going to talk about it with everyone. 

They share their stories with their friends, their colleagues, and anyone else who might need your services. They're willing to do this and more than happy to. Plus, long-term clients give stability to your business, and that's something money can't buy. 

You're not riding the roller coaster of ups and downs because you've got a steady stream of work from people who believe in what you do. Now let's talk about what drives clients away. If we get real about what sends your clients running, ignoring this stuff is going to be risky, so you want to definitely listen up. 

One of the top reasons clients leave, communication or lack thereof. If your clients don't hear from you, they start wondering if you're even invested in their success. It's not that you have to be in constant contact, but timely and consistent updates go a long way in reassuring them that they're in good hands.

Another one, mismanaged expectations. I was guilty of this when I first got into business. It's easy to lose people when there's a gap between what you'll say, what you'll deliver, and what they actually experience. 

When that happens, it kills trust. I don't know how many times I've had businesses that I work with for years, and then they blow it out of the water. They lose it. 

What they promised never delivers. I walk away very dissatisfied about the process because I've invested in them in the long term. The longer you've been investing in somebody, the more it stings when things aren't exactly what they say. 

If a client's not clear on the value you bring, or they feel you're under delivering, it's only a matter of time before they move on. This is especially true for service-based businesses, professional or otherwise, where the trust factor is everything. So you might be asking yourself, how do I keep my customers and clients engaged and feeling valued? Well, I don't think it's complicated, but I can tell you that it does take intention. 

Intent can make all of the difference in whether you're successful, or if you continue to grow or don't grow. So number one, be present and open. Reach out with a purpose. 

Maybe it's just a small call, a quick email, or a call-in report. Being there and showing you're proactive is very powerful. Clients like knowing they're not just another number. 

So a personal note or a progress update can really stand out. I've seen a lot of cases where clients look at me and they say, wow, I didn't realize we were making that much progress on this. And it's like, well, yeah, you don't see it from the outside. 

So it's my job to give you the focus from the inside. Now imagine they never have to wonder if you're still focused on them, because you're consistently showing it. In that kind of a case, it's going to be very easy to keep them moving forward with you and not get sidestepped by another company from the outside stepping in and going, well, they're not really doing everything. 

I've lost contracts because of that. Number two, deliver unexpected value. Now this is where you can really shine.

Providing an extra resource, maybe sending a quick, here's what I'm noticing email, or simply thanking them for their trust. All these things show clients that they're appreciated. Think of it as a way to show that you're invested in their journey and not just their dollars.

What happens when people feel valued? They stick around. I ran into this situation with a good friend of mine. He received a testimonial from a client who basically said, hey, look, we realized that we weren't a good connection in our discovery call, but you went ahead and continued talking with me, and you continued working with me, and you continued delivering value. 

And he said, this is the reason why I started working with you, because you continue to give me value beyond the dollars. If you're not just looking at their dollars, what happens when those people feel the value? Well, they tend to stick around. Number three, anticipate needs, don't just respond. 

Now this is kind of an interesting one. If you're the person who sees a potential issue and addresses it before it even reaches the client, that can provide a lot of leverage to the client thinking that it's really huge to them. You're saying, I got you covered without saying a word. 

People want a service provider who's a step ahead, and this kind of proactive approach shows them that's exactly what they have. I had a client who came to me, and she was having some issues, and she was like, how do I get past this? And I said, well, one step isn't going to do it. I said, you have at least four or five speed bumps ahead of you, and we can predict some of those, and we can work to arrive at those and be able to help you with those. 

And she said, no, no, no, that's okay. I don't think that's necessary. So about a week later, she hit the first speed bump, and she called me, and she said, hey, I've got this problem. 

And I said, isn't that the speed bump we were talking about? And she said, yeah. And so this continued to after the third speed bump that I'd predicted for her. Finally, she said, all right, how do we handle this? She put her trust fully in me because she didn't see the picture the way I saw it. 

And by doing that, she was willing to let go of the reins, go to her boss and say, hey, Randy really needs to do this. Let's let him run with it. And so that's exactly what we did. 

And, you know, when you're staying ahead, and it really provides them with perspective for what they're doing, many times they won't see this. And you're going to have to help them get that dial in that vision that comes from anticipating what's coming. And the final one of these four is just keep asking questions.

You know, regularly check in and ask for their feedback. Maybe it's a simple, how's everything going? Or a more specific question about a service that you're providing them. It's showing that you're tuned in and ready to listen. 

When clients feel they're being heard, they become part of the process with you more often, making them more likely to keep the relationship going. Now, since we're talking about retention, let's talk about establishing a retention process, creating a solid repeatable system around the way you handle your clientele. When you're building a business that lasts, it's about finding what works and making it sustainable. 

Start with your regular client check-ins. That's normal. Quarterly business reviews are very helpful. 

They aren't just meetings. They're touch points that show you're consistent and reliable. You can pull problems from the past forward and line out where you're going to go to resolve those in the future. 

They're very, very helpful. You're also building accountability into the relationship, and that's huge for keeping clients engaged. If you can make retention part of your team's DNA, everyone's going to win. 

Everyone should understand their role in keeping clients happy and the small actions that can make a difference. You're creating a culture that's about more than just service. It's about client loyalty.

And finally, don't forget to review your processes regularly. How many times have we said this? Always review. Always review. 

Always review. You know, what's working? What needs improvement? The feedback you get from your clients and your customers isn't just for your client's benefit. It's for yours too. 

Businesses that adapt and learn are the ones that keep clients coming back. Let me share a quick story to lock this concept in. We've already pulled a couple, but I really want to focus on this. 

I worked with a client about a year ago who was pouring everything into acquiring new business and wasn't spending nearly enough time keeping his existing clients engaged. Over time, I noticed that he'd been building a churn rate, right, that inevitable loss of clients and customers when your eye falls away from building the relationship. He told me it made it feel like he was running on a hamster wheel because he was constantly bringing clients in only to watch them leave and the clients that he had that were that he was keeping with were not really developing at the same time. 

We worked on this. We built in a plan on purpose to be able to get that attention to his client retention and everything changed within a month. He started reaching out more. 

He got proactive about adding value and he made it a priority to listen and improve. Guess what? Not only did his churn rate drop, but he started seeing more referrals, more repeat business, and a whole lot less stress. What did this do for him? It cut his overall cost by about 30% and it increased his new client pull by about 40%. 

Now this is not small numbers we're talking about here. When you see the power of retention, it can stabilize your business and it amplifies your impact without having to constantly look for new leads. So I hope today's episode got you thinking about how to keep your clients that you've already worked hard to get to keep them for a longer period of time. 

Building these types of relationships isn't just a nice-to-have. It's a powerful strategy for business growth. If you start putting even one or two of these ideas into action, I promise you'll see the impact. 

That's it for this episode. I hope you picked up some valuable insights and maybe even sparked a few new ideas. If you want to keep the conversation going or maybe even explore partnerships, don't hesitate to reach out. 

And hey, don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this with someone who needs to hear it. The steps you take today could be the start of something big tomorrow. For the budding entrepreneur, I wish you the best in your health, your wealth, your business, your family, everything about you. 

Take care and we'll see you back here next week.