Tom Rauch

Client Loyalty

How client loyalty “happens”

Turning just a couple of paying clients into loyal and raving fans of your business can do wonders for your profitability, as I showed you in this brief video.

The question is this:  how do you go about turning clients into active promoters of your holistic practice?  Companies that have – both large and small – follow these simple guidelines consistently, day-in and day-out.

First, they see the world through the eyes of their clients.  Every business has a set of solutions (products and services) to solve a client problem.  But when those solutions don’t fit the client’s experience  a huge and costly disconnect appears.  Businesses with many active promoters know that they must truly understand their client’s reality, and that it’s always changing.

Second, businesses that have high client loyalty make it easy for customers to do business with them.  They anticipate needs.  They offer options.  They listen.  They change their minds when they see that a policy or process really isn’t working.  They take care of the little things – the thoughtful amenities – that add up to huge value in the eyes of their clients.

Third, they tell the truth.  Businesses that grow through referrals (because they have many active promoters) say when they can help, and when they can’t.  They also tell their clients about other businesses that may be a better fit for them and their needs.  Businesses that turn down business – for the right reasons – engender a lot of loyalty and engagement.  Truth telling in business is the real bottom line, because it builds trust, and the strongest relationships are always built on trust.

Bringing client loyalty into your practice

Those are the guidelines.  Now, if you really do want to increase the loyalty of your clients, I recommend you do these things:

Think about what your client needs to do (or be) to take full advantage of your product/service offering.  Do they need to gain support from the people in their lives (family and friends) to make the changes necessary to lose the weight, eliminate the pain, ease the condition?  Is there something in their daily life that many times gets in the way of them following through on the plan you create with them?  What can you do to help them address these issues?  Businesses that really understand their client’s reality are usually the one’s that end up with much higher client loyalty.

Also think about how easy it is to do business with you.  Take a step back.  Look at your business and operations from your client’s perspective.  Would YOU want to fill out all that paperwork?  Would YOU find YOUR program engaging?    Sometimes we hang on to procedures and processes in our business that we like, or have always used, or a teacher/mentor told us that they were the best available.  But if they are burdensome and unappealing to your client – do you really need them?

Finally, clients want to hear the truth.  They want to know when you don’t know.  They want to know if you are the right fit for them and their health condition and issue.  They need to know what’s really holding them back from getting what they really want in life.  You are in a position to help them hear that truth – gently, respectfully and clearly.

A fun exercise to get you started…

Here’s a fun exercise to help you create even greater  loyalty among your paying clients:

Think about the two or three businesses that you have recommended (and continue to recommend) to family and friends.

• What do these businesses do that sets them apart?
• If you can think of two or three , what do they all have in common?

You might find that your own experience as an active promoter of a business (or two or three!) will help you create active promoters in your own.

I invite you to share your experiences as a loyal and raving fan with our growing community!