Five Ways To Wow Your Client

Running a business is about providing goods and services to human beings. Their experience with you can make the difference between a good day, a terrible day, a nothing-special day, and a "WOW" day for them! Wouldn't you like to be the reason a client's day changes from boring to "WOW?"

The benefits of this approach are good for everyone involved. Your client will be satisfied with your service and will therefore come back to you for repeat business. By making a great impression and exceeding expectations, you have a better chance of establishing a long-term relationship with this client, and increasing your sales. Also, you'll be strategizing your unique positioning in the marketplace by making your business stand out from the rest. If you take the time to do something unusual and special, the client will think of you again next time.

There are many ways you can "WOW" your client, but here are five of them:

1. Remember Diary Dates

Use your database to make note of each client's birthday, wedding anniversary, their children's birthdays, religious celebrations and any other important dates in their life. Send a reduced-rate offer or gift voucher (to use next time they need your service) and a card to them on that day. This gesture shows your interest in a long-term relationship, not just a quick sale.

2. Offer Unique Free Extras

Think of something uncommon that is not offered in your industry. Give this to your clients for free. It should be something fun and something that makes them talk about you all over town. For example, if you're a dentist, you may offer a $300 voucher to your clients on the third anniversary of the day they became your client. This should entitle the client to a free dental service or dental product (up to the value of $300) from you. The client should be able to spend the voucher however they wish.

3. Turn Complaints Around

Your clients won't always be happy, but you can save their patronage by resolving their problem quickly and to their benefit. For example, if you own a restaurant and a guest is unhappy with their food, offer a free meal before they even asks. If you take care of the situation quickly and effectively, they'll be back again.

4. Reward Referrals In A Big Way

Most small business owners simply send a thank you card to the client that sends them a referral. That's okay if you want to be like every other business. To set your business apart from the "thank you card givers," you can include a gift with the card. Concert tickets are fine, but a gift that enhances the client's way of life will probably be more appreciated. For example, if your client is an attorney, you may get them a free pass to an educational seminar. Rewarding your clients for a referral will ensure that they repeat the gesture in future.

5. Go The Extra Mile

By this, I'm referring to spontaneous acts of kindness. Demonstrate that you're willing to extend yourself beyond typical boundaries of time and resources to meet the needs of your clients. Does your client have a request you don't normally accommodate, but that is easily doable and not time-consuming? Say you'd be happy to do that for them, and pool your abilities and resources to get that service for the client. For example, say you own a single-outlet fashion shop, and a customer asks whether you have a certain garment in red. Let's assume you never stock that particular garment in red. There are two "WOW" things you can do here. Your customer will certainly appreciate it if you either put in a special order to get the red color in for her, or you direct her to another fashion shop to buy it there. This is a small gesture but you'll be surprised how many fashion shop reps would say: "Sorry we don't stock it, is there anything else I can help you with?"

When you pay attention to your clients and demonstrate that you care about their experience with you as much as the bottom line, they will remember you and return. If you treat your clients as faceless numbers and don't convey your appreciation for their patronage, nothing stops them from trying somewhere else! Countless businesses are waiting to step in your shoes, so make sure you do your best to exceed client expectations. If you add the "WOW Factor" to what you offer your clients, they'll do business with you repeatedly. They'll become your raving fans, and will talk about you to their family and friends.

Making a strong impression that you care about your client's satisfaction will encourage referrals and make your profits soar.

Copyright © 2005 by Habiba Abubakar and Emprez. All rights reserved.

Note: You are welcome to republish this article as long as you do so in its entirety and the "about the author" bit at the end is included fully and unaltered.

Habiba Abubakar, a.k.a. The Profit Diva, specializes in helping small business owners who are struggling to increase their client base and are tired of earning mediocre profits. Her FREE business-building newsletter covers proven, low-cost, and immediately usable marketing strategies. Sign up for your FREE copy at http://www.profitdiva.com

---

Restaurant Scheduling for Success

- Excerpt from Richard Saporito's latest e-book "How to Improve... Read More

Hit The Jackpot With Customer Complaints

Our most powerful instinct is to avoid customer complaints, but... Read More

Courting Customers - From First Date to Marriage

Landing a new client is like courting a potential spouse.... Read More

Responding to Complaints

It's possible that in the course of your business dealings,... Read More

Clients - What They Want from You

A growing number of individuals are finding themselves called to... Read More

A New Way To Handle Complaints, Or Is It?

What a lot of money we have been wasting on... Read More

Make Sure You Get The Customer Perspective

Businesses that fail, often forget to seek out the customer... Read More

Client Appreciation - It Means Everything!

Want to know the secret for keeping your clients forever?... Read More

The Great American Customer Service Unawareness Campaign

Q: I'm so sick of you so-called business experts always... Read More

What Every Manager Should Know About How to Learn from the Complaints of Customers and Employees

Listening to complaints, whether they're reasonable or not, is a... Read More

Retail Store U-Scan Machines: Self-Serve or Voluntary Part Time Job?

Do many of us realize that we are working an... Read More

Communicating Value

Abstract: People buy for their reasons, not yours. This article... Read More

How to Retain Your Customers the Dish Network Way

Customer retention is vital to a business. If you cannot... Read More

Customer Service Consultants

When all else fails in your company to meet the... Read More

Top Ten Strategies for Delivering 5-Star Customer Service

Customer satisfaction is valuable, but customer loyalty is priceless. In... Read More

One of the Secrets of a Great Customer Experience

A few weeks ago we conducted our annual "Customer Experience... Read More

It Is All About Customer Service!

In this day of terrible customer service, it should come... Read More

Ten Ways to Help You Improve Your Customer Service

1. Stay in contact with customers on a regular basis.... Read More

Customer Conversion Mistakes That Will Cost You

The following are common mistakes that Sales Managers and Owners... Read More

Find Out Where Your Firm Stands in Today?s Customer

Looking For Ways to Improve Sales and Customer Relationships?Find Out... Read More

Carpet Cleaning in Surrey

Like any business, carpet and upholstery cleaning requires excellent customer... Read More

My Child Has Opie Eye!

7:00 a.m., the silence in the house is broken by... Read More

Your Career Plan--Think Like A CEO

You've been going 6-to-late; exhausted by running the supersonic treadmill... Read More

11 Ways to Get What You Want - Be a Clever Customer!

We all want great service, whether we are buying our... Read More

Identify Your Silent Customer Service Message

With the growing number of people in every business sector,... Read More

Foolproof Customer Service Strategies (That Only A Fool Would Try!)

Ever notice how customer service varies from store to store?... Read More

Clients?Do You Really Need Them?

Running a successful business takes a lot of energy and... Read More

You Bever Know Who Youre Serving

You Never Know Who You're Serving when customers turn irate.I... Read More

Basic Levels of Consumer Integrity that Presently Permeates Society

Reality is not always pretty. But here is a tad... Read More

Raising The Bar For Online Magazine Subscription Services And Customer Service

After years of flying below the radar in the magazine... Read More

Have You Hugged a Customer Today?

It all started a couple of weeks ago when a... Read More

Why Communication Skills Dont Work In Customer Service

Every time my firm conducts communication skills training, we know... Read More

Learn to Anticipate Your Customers Needs

This morning I was having breakfast with my good friend... Read More