5 Tips to Convert a First Time Customer into a Lifetime Customer

17 Nov, 2015 | Tags: , , , , ,

Congratulations!  You have sold your product (or service) to a new customer.  It’s a great feeling!  Then you say something like “Thank you, let me know if there is anything else I can help you with in the future.”  Basically, right there, without realizing it, you killed it, and not in a good way.  You see, the translation to what you just said is really, “I got my sale, I’m done at my end, and if you want anything else then you’ll have to contact me.  I’m not going to put any additional effort into you because I came for the sale and I already got it.”  That may not be your intention, but that’s how it may have come across. 

In reality, it doesn’t even matter if you got the sale just now.  You might be scratching your head over this statement, but it’s true.  If you are sincere in wanting a forever customer then you need to build a relationship.  That’s the key.  Most times they can get the product or service from someone else so why should they do business with you?

Build a Relationship.

  A potential customer wants to see that you are interested in them, not as a paycheck, but as someone who wishes to serve them, to help, direct, educate, to build a customer for life.  They want to know that you’re in their corner.  If you are sincere is wanting to be in their corner than that brings us to the next step, listening.

Ask Open-Ended Questions and Listen to the Answers.

Find out about them.  The more information they share, the more you can see how your product or service can help them now or in the future.  Note:  Keep a journal and jot down info on them so you can bring it up in the future.  And remember, you might be doing something totally different in the future, and they may too.  So, I hope you see that a relationship is more important than one sale.  If it is, then that brings us to the next step, finding out how they want you to connect.

Communication.

How does your potential customer like to be addressed?  How do they like to share communication?  By phone? Email? Text?  There’s nothing more irritating to a potential customer than communicating to someone that you don’t want to communicate via phone and would prefer email and they keep calling you, over and over again.  Is this person really connected to their potential customer’s needs?  Absolutely not.

Your New Product or Service to Their Needs

. Always inform your customer if there is something new or something on sale that you feel would be of interest to them.  Let them hear your enthusiasm, and explain to her/him that you wanted to share this new product/service because “you remembered how fill in the blank was so important to them.  Take the time to explain how it may meet their needs.  As you grow this relationship, remember to note how their needs have changed; don’t be afraid to ask them why they’ve changed.  Did they get married?  Start a new business venture?  Downsize or have kids?

New Life Event?  Special Occasion?

Remember special occasions and send a card, call or in some cases, send a little gift.  Maybe they just had a child, or it’s their company’s anniversary or they just returned from a fabulous vacation.  Reaching out to them reminds them of your sincerity to be there for them when needed.  My husband and I have a realtor friend and he sends a calendar with his name and phone number on it to us at the end of each year.  He calls us twice a year just to check in, remind us that he’s there for us and asks if we have any questions about the market.  I say realtor “friend” even though he’s not a social friend.  We view him as such though because he builds relationships and we know whether we buy or sell a house soon, he is there to help us with any questions.  He’s a great example of creating a customer for life.  Without a doubt, we will be calling him if and when we decide to sell and would feel very comfortable recommending him to our friends and associates.

Where ever you or your customer may go in life, there’s always an opportunity to take them with you. 

  By Karen Orem