{"id":1924,"date":"2015-08-17T09:00:48","date_gmt":"2015-08-17T14:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/teamprojectmayhem.com\/blog\/?p=1924"},"modified":"2015-08-15T13:46:23","modified_gmt":"2015-08-15T18:46:23","slug":"23-ways-to-get-your-customers-to-love-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/teamprojectmayhem.com\/blog\/23-ways-to-get-your-customers-to-love-you\/","title":{"rendered":"23 Ways to get your customers to love you"},"content":{"rendered":"

Getting a new customer into your business is hard.<\/p>\n

Each one is hard fought. But it\u2019s totally worth all the blood, sweat and tears you put into it.<\/p>\n

So it would be crazy to put out all that effort to get your customers, only to take them for granted once they give you a shot. Unfortunately, that happens far too often in businesses.<\/p>\n

Many entrepreneurs have a leaky bucket. Many of the new customers they earn, leave soon after, never to return.<\/p>\n

No bueno.<\/p>\n

Smart business owners know it\u2019s best to work just as hard\u00a0to create loyal\u00a0customers, as they do\u00a0in trying to find new ones.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s because it costs a whole lot more to get a new customer than it does to keep an existing one. Research shows loyal customers buy more, and they cost less to maintain.<\/p>\n

Also, loyal customers\u00a0tell their friends about you, and they stick around on those days when you\u2019re not quite at your best.<\/p>\n

In short, the smart way to grow your business is to love the customers you\u2019ve already got. And you\u2019ll do that, by giving them numerous reasons to be loyal to you.<\/p>\n

In other words, you need to get your customers to love you<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n

So without further ado, here are 23 ideas to help you create delighted, loyal customers:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

23 Ways to\u00a0get your customers to love you<\/h2>\n

Build a relationship<\/h3>\n

<\/p>\n

On the road to creating loyal customers, a great way to kickstart the process is to build relationships with them. This will move you beyond fragile, purely transactional relationships to having deeper, more emotional connections.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

1. \u00a0Get to know your customers<\/h3>\n

Instead of the customer at table number 18, or subscriber number 336, get to know your customers on a personal level. Then instead of faceless \u201ccustomers\u201d you\u2019ll interact with Jack, Angie, and Emma.<\/p>\n

And as you listen, you\u2019ll learn that Jack loves Bruno Mars, Angie is learning Spanish, and that Emma is expecting her third child next month.<\/p>\n

This information isn\u2019t about selling, it\u2019s about connecting on a human level. About caring for the people who\u2019ve allowed you to serve them. And the better you get to know them, the deeper your relationship will be.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

2. Don\u2019t let your customers hear the sound of crickets<\/h3>\n

When a customer communicates with you via email, social media, blog comments, or something else, that\u2019s a win. But don\u2019t just stop and celebrate. Show your customers you appreciate that they took the time to connect with you, by responding to them.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what best-selling author Chris Brogan had to say about this approach.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do this weird thing called actually respond to people and talk back to them. And when they ask me things, I reply and when they send me email, I try to reply as soon as I humanly can. And I can say it\u2019s astounding how many times I get a response like \u2018gasp! You wrote back!\u201d And I feel like if that\u2019s the entry level, if that\u2019s how you win, then I can crush anybody all day, because all my colleagues evidently don\u2019t do that.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

3. Remember special occasions<\/h3>\n

People you have a relationship with know and remember special occasions in your life. It\u2019s always nice when those in your world remember birthdays, anniversaries, or other business milestones.<\/p>\n

This is a great thing to do with your customers. Acknowledge happenings in their world with a note, email, coupon, or special gift.<\/p>\n

My favorite bakery<\/a> gave me a free cupcake for my birthday. And of course, I made sure to cash it in for a delicioso gluten-free one on my big day. It was so good, I bought another :).<\/p>\n

\"GiGi's<\/a><\/p>\n

4. Fix it when you mess up<\/h3>\n

Sometimes you mess up. It happens to the best of us. But if you fix things with your clients as soon as possible, you put yourself in a great position to delight them.<\/p>\n

Besides, data shows that customers who have had a complaint handled to their satisfaction are even more loyal than those who\u2019ve never had a problem.<\/p>\n

Bottom line: a mess up is a great opportunity to show your customers just how valuable you think they are.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

5. Write your customers a love letter<\/h3>\n

Noted philosopher and psychologist William James expressed it well:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe deepest principle of human nature is a craving to be appreciated.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Don\u2019t you love it when someone expresses their love and appreciation for you? Your customers are the same.<\/p>\n

So let them know you care with a personal message. Express gratitude that they\u2019ve allowed you the opportunity to serve them. Your customers have many options for how to get their needs met. And yet, they chose you.<\/p>\n

Let them know how much that means to you.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

6. Let your customers into your world (behind the scenes)<\/h3>\n

People like to know what goes on behind the scenes. It makes them feel connected to you. It helps them feel like they are getting an insider\u2019s view of how you work and how you produce all the awesome that comes their way. So why not let them in at least a little?<\/p>\n

Give them a peek. Give them some access.<\/p>\n

Check out the social share numbers for behind-the-scenes footage for these musicians and movies.<\/p>\n

\"Behind<\/a><\/p>\n

Make your customers\u2019 lives better<\/h3>\n

There are lots of things competing for your customers\u2019 time and resources. And the businesses that will win the battle for customers\u2019 attention will be those that make their lives better in some way. It\u2019ll be those businesses that are able to solve their problem like none other.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

7. Always be one or two steps ahead<\/h3>\n

When trying to solve a problem or learn something new, most of the time you can only see as far as your existing knowledge will take you.<\/p>\n

But since you have expertise that is useful for your customers, you know what they are going to encounter as they progress farther in their journey. You know what roadblocks are ahead and how to navigate around them.<\/p>\n

So since you know what\u2019s coming, make sure you get your customers prepared. Give them what they need to know, when they need to know it, so they don\u2019t get derailed.<\/p>\n

Wistia<\/a> does an excellent job of being a few steps ahead of their clients. They know that when people are starting out with video, eventually, they\u2019ll have lots of questions. And many of those questions will be about lighting, backgrounds, and sound.<\/p>\n

So in their knowledge base, they have video tutorials and other FAQs on these topics and more. Their clients can find what they need whenever they reach that part of their journey.<\/p>\n

\"Wistia<\/a><\/p>\n

8. Educate<\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re an expert in what you do, go ahead and take the time to educate your customers on the specific problem they have. Go beyond what they can find through a simple Google search, and give them the information they need to move forward.<\/p>\n

Give them tools, tips, or summarize research in a simple and organized fashion. Connecting the dots for them will help them to solve their burning pains.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

9. Let your customers customize their experience<\/h3>\n

Your customers are unique. So if it\u2019s possible for them to build something that suits their needs exactly, why not let them? Your customers will love the product they designed the way they wanted. And of course, they\u2019ll be thankful to you for allowing them to have it their way.<\/p>\n

Brands like Mini Cooper, Chipotle, and Build-A-Bear do it. They let customers choose from their selection to create\u00a0exactly what they want.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

10. Create a community<\/h3>\n

There\u2019s strength in numbers. So if your customers want to join a movement, or just find support and accountability, a community can benefit them.<\/p>\n

By creating a space for your audience to connect with like-minded individuals, you\u2019ll give them \u00a0a powerful tool to help them reach their goals.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Reward your customers<\/h3>\n

Rewards are cool because they provide your customers with a \u201ccookie\u201d so to speak for taking certain actions. And it also gives them added reasons to keep coming back while making them feel extra special along the way.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

11. Make your customers feel exclusive<\/h3>\n

Make your customers feel like they are part of an elite group of people who get to be a part of your crew. Give them access to something that only a select few get to see and experience.<\/p>\n

Citi Private Pass<\/a><\/em> credit card holders are able to get early access and preferred pricing to concerts, that other would-be concert goers can\u2019t get.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

12. Introduce a loyalty program<\/h3>\n

Give your customers an added incentive to come back to you again, and again by rewarding them for their loyalty. Hotels and airlines do this often with their loyalty programs. Members can earn free rooms, upgrades, and flights.<\/p>\n

I just cashed in miles that I had with Virgin Atlantic to book a flight to my beloved Buenos Aires for $93. I already loved Virgin Atlantic, but I\u2019m totally on cloud nine with them now as a result.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

13. Make your customers the star<\/h3>\n

A great way to win your customers hearts is to take the focus off of you by shining the spotlight on them. Make your audience the star, by highlighting the wonderful\u00a0things they\u2019re doing.<\/p>\n

GoPro<\/a> makes their customers the star on their website. They showcase photos and videos of them doing cool stuff with their cameras.<\/p>\n

\"GoPro<\/a><\/p>\n

14. Let your customers be a part of you<\/h3>\n

Customers like to be a part of something. When you let them be part of your business it\u2019ll enable them to connect to you at a deeper level.<\/p>\n

You could let your customers take part in market research, or let them vote on the name of one of your new products for instance. Even the smallest ways of including your customers can make a big impact in making them feel more invested in what you\u2019re doing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

15. Start a challenge<\/h3>\n

Engage your customers to move closer to their goal by giving them a challenge. Then guide them every step of the way during the pre-determined challenge period to help them reach their goal.<\/p>\n

ProBlogger Darren Rowse did the 31-Days to a Better Blog<\/a>. Absolute Yoga Academy<\/a> did a 10-day hollow back challenge. And every year in November, NaNoWriMo<\/a> does a challenge to get people to complete a 50,000 world novel in thirty days.<\/p>\n

\"Hollow-back<\/a><\/p>\n

Be awesome, do awesome<\/h4>\n

Break from the status quo, and do cool things. It\u2019ll enable you to stand out from other available options your customers have to choose from.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

16. Be cool (code for be yourself)<\/h3>\n

Remember when all the companies were trying to sound big, and corporate, and devoid of personality?<\/p>\n

Thankfully, those days are long gone. Now companies of all sizes work super hard to inject personality into their communications.<\/p>\n

Embrace those qualities about you and your brand that make you unique. Then incorporate them into your business.<\/p>\n

The customers you are best suited to reach, will love that you\u2019re embracing your authentic self, rather than stripping your business of all personality.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

17. Have awesome people<\/h3>\n

When you have the right people on your team, it can make all the difference in your business\u2019 success. Your people are able to connect with and delight your customers.<\/p>\n

Your people also help you behind the scenes. They implement ideas that improve the experiences your customers have with your business.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

18. Take care of your awesome people<\/h3>\n

Your clients will take note when you do right by the people that work for you.<\/p>\n

Employees that are well cared for, tend to be happier in their work. As a result, they are much more likely to treat your customers better.<\/p>\n

From your customers\u2019 point of view, companies that do right by their team are much more likely to do right by customers. Especially in a world where many companies don\u2019t treat their employees so well.<\/p>\n

Ikea<\/a> recently increased the minimum wage of workers across their stores. The benefits they received from this were so valuable, the company is set to raise wages again.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

19. Do mundane things in new, different, and unexpected ways<\/h3>\n

Break up the monotony and do things differently than the way everyone expects you to.<\/p>\n

The W Hotel in Westwood<\/a> made riding an elevator super fun. The hotel has cameras in the elevator that shows you several images of yourself during your ride. I couldn't get in that elevator without striking a pose (ok, maybe three). That's one elevator I always loved being in, and one I'll never forget.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

20. Sing a song or rap<\/h3>\n

Have a little fun, and sing your customers a song. Captivate them with your voice. And if you\u2019re not the best singer, don\u2019t worry. You don\u2019t even need to be any good. Your audience will simply love the fact that you didn\u2019t take yourself too seriously to do a little something to put a smile on their face.<\/p>\n

The Copyblogger podcast The Lede celebrated their 101st episode with song. Hosts Jerod Morris and Demian Farnworth recorded epic versions of an original song, When the Vest Comes Off (Ooh La La)<\/em><\/a>. And their listeners loved it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

21. Take a stand<\/h3>\n

Stand up for what you believe in. Don\u2019t cave in to doing something contrary to your values when pressure comes your way. Not only will you be sticking with your convictions, but you\u2019ll please the customers who stand for what you believe in as well.<\/p>\n

Cheerios<\/a> stood by their ad featuring an interracial family, even after getting lots of backlash. They didn\u2019t give in to those who took issue with their portrayal of a family. Instead, they\u00a0ran a second ad with the family during the 2014 SuperBowl.<\/p>\n