Think about the last time you had a great customer experience. The time you wanted to or did go to Google or Yelp and wrote a great review. What prompted that feeling that made you want to tell others?
Last year, my wife and I feared for our favorite restaurant. “Please survive this pandemic!” we thought. We did write some good reviews and talked them up to others. We ordered take out and continued to do business with them even when we never went anywhere else or ate anywhere else.
Do you have that type of loyalty from your customers? Why? or Why Not? The famous Maya Angelou quote about people forgetting what you say, what you do but never forgetting how you make them feel is TRUTH.
I was reminded of this when following an online social media thread about the witty replies some distributors were able to throw at their clients for giving them bad artwork. Why? Why not realize that your client hires you to be the expert. They may feel really good about that jpg or pdf or other design that they created. Why would you want to make them feel small? They probably already are really aware of their limitations as artists. With the inexpensive options at your disposal, you can take their art, improve on it and get it ready for just a few dollars and rather than taking credit for that — make the customer feel good about their work.
Your job is to make your customer the hero of the story. You’re just their guide. Be their Yoda and help them be the hero. You make them feel good when you listen to them and hear them and remember. They feel important when you show that you listened and care about what they care about.
It’s not hard. It’s pretty basic. So make some things a habit.
• Genuinely thank them.
• Let them know you’re thinking of them. Share appropriate news or items of interest.
• Promote their business and their interests. You’re a marketer. Put your skills to work for them too. Loyalty is a two-way street. Use and promote their causes.
• Always be honest, transparent. If there is a problem, be upfront - fast and have a plan.
• Two words: Handwritten Notes
• Two more words: Meaningful Gifts
• Get personal and deep and make best friends.
Loyal customers are profitable customers. They’re fun customers. They can become great long-term positive relationships.
A key to creating value is to make your customers feel valued.
Paul Kiewiet MAS+ is an industry speaker, writer, consultant and coach. He serves as the executive director of MiPPA. Kiewiet was inducted into the PPAI Hall of Fame and the MiPPA Hall of Fame. He served as Chairman of PPAI in 2007. A former distributor, he founded Promotion Concepts, Inc in 1982 and worked with some of America’s most valuable brands including Coca-Cola, Kelloggs, and Whirlpool.