How to delight your customers and build brand loyalty

I just love it when I go somewhere and I feel like I’m really being cared for by the staff. I buy more, I tip more, I talk about it more AND I’m more likely to go back again and again. When I started my business I wanted to be able to

Are you delighting your clients? Why is it important to building brand loyalty that you delight your clients? 

Delighting your clients builds loyalty

✨Create more impact for your clients because you are focusing on authentically connecting with them. You’ll be able to impact them in a personal way which will build brand loyalty. 

✨It creates advocates for your business (word of mouth referrals). Word of mouth referrals are gold to brick and mortar businesses but also to online businesses. People are much more likely to go with a business or brand just because the friend they trust also went with that business. 

✨Repeat business. I feel like this one is pretty self-explanatory. You’ve probably got your favorite coffee shop where they call you by name and start making your normal coffee as soon as they see you walk in the door. Why on earth would you consider going anywhere else?? Right? 

✨Social proof. Thich concept is so important to online businesses because it gives people a peek into what others have experienced since they can’t do things like scope out your brick and mortar store or know where to ask for a third party to give an honest account of their experience. It shows people that other REAL people have worked with you and what it has been like for them. 

✨Someone who believes in your product will be more likely to share observations and feedback on how to improve and give you feedback that can actually help. 

The better the experience is as a whole the happier your clients are and the more likely they will become raving fans sharing your business with other online business owners. 

Manage client expectations from the start 

It’s imperative to building brand loyalty for your business that you manage client expectations right from the start. Be clear about what you can and can’t do or what is or is not included in the service they are purchasing.

This way you don’t get into any icky situations where you feel like you have to deliver on XYZ because you hadn’t been clear from the start that they were going to just get Z. Also, this sets those important client boundaries as well. Your clients will know what to expect and feel taken care of when you “keep your promises” to them.

Be honest with yourself and your client. If you’re asked to provide something in 24 hours but usually it takes you a week then be honest with your client about the timeline. You probably do want to be seen as a superhero but not being able to fulfill those promises is just going to damage the relationship. They will appreciate you being straightforward and honest.

Communicate, in service based business communication is extremely important with managing client expectations. Part of the service you offer is the piece of mind that YOU are there and they can reach out to you with questions or concerns and not having to wait a week for a response. You don’t have to sit on your email of messenger to respond immediately but focusing on providing that quick turn around time. Do your best to make them feel comfortable asking their questions and interacting with you to get answers. 

Listen closely and ask more questions. It is the only way that you will get to know where clients are in the process and what they need. If you aren’t listening…and I mean really listening you’ll end up making assumptions about where the client is, what they need, and you may miss the mark completely on what they want. 

It’s all about creating and nurturing the trust that your client has in your business and by managing their expectations from the get-go and being a support for them your only going to strengthen that relationship. 

Don’t stop at good enough when building your brand loyalty

You’ve heard it before, under promise and over deliver. This doesn’t mean that you have to give free work even if that is the first thing that pops into your head. 

Be intentional with your communications and when you notice something that could benefit your client, like an article, resource or video that you come across online, send them a quick email bringing their attention to it. 

Here are some inexpensive ideas for over delivering for your clients 

• Send a hand written note 
• Consider a loyalty/referral program 
• Promote them on social media 
• Be quick with your communications (not instant but no one wants to wait days for a response)
• Provide them with a freebie that will help them with what they are personally struggling with 
• Making sure your onboarding system is making the process easy for them 

There are so many things you can do to go above and beyond in delighting your clients, let your excitement about working with them bubble over and inspire you to delight your clients in a way that makes sense for your business. 

Create a memorable customer experience. But what exactly does that mean? 

Pay attention to the details. Start training yourself to notice the little details that a client drops during your conversations about things they like or don’t like. Say they mention they love the color pink and at the end of working together you always send a little gift this would be the perfect time to send them a gift in the color pink. 

Another way to create a memorable customer experience is to make a note of family members names or activities that are coming up for them and ask about them in your communications. Yes, you may go over your call for a few minutes but it will be well worth it because your clients will see that you genuinely care about them and their lives. 

You can also show them appreciation by celebrating their wins, sharing their content, and giving them shout outs on social media.  Everyone loves a little recognition especially on social media and it doesn’t cost much in time or energy to send out a little message recognizing them. 

Focus on building a relationship with your clients and not one where you reach out just for sales or to promote your services. 

Be human

Sometimes things happen that are out of our control, even when we try so hard to avoid negative experiences with our business. You’ve worked so hard to build a positive experience that bring return customers but now eeekk?!?! Someone is unhappy, something didn’t go quite right. Now when you are a one woman show you’ve got to be the customer service representative.

When you’re faced with an opportunity like this instead of panicking and worrying about them spreading negativity like wildfire. Remember that while they are a customer they are still a person, I know it is silly but stick with me here. A person like you and you can ask yourself, “how would I want the business to resolve this problem if it were me in their shoes?” How would you want to be treated? Use these experiences to continue to refine your process and anticipate your client’s needs. 

And don’t stop there, you can ask your clients for feedback and how to improve your products or services in a way that would serve your clients better. People who believe in your mission are going to be more excited to help you positively improve your services and they are going to be excited that you think enough of their opinion to ask that you’re going to strengthen that loyalty even more! 

Now it’s your turn!

Have questions about creating a feedback form to get genuine feedback on your products or services from your clients? Drop your questions below!