Strategies for Deepening Customer Connections For Retention | MM#138

In this episode, Jessie and Angela discuss essential strategies for strengthening existing customer relationships, a critical aspect for businesses transitioning from the initial client acquisition phase to focusing on customer retention. They emphasize the importance of exceptional customer service, highlighting the need for empathetic and adaptable customer interactions, which can significantly impact a business's reputation through positive word-of-mouth and referrals. 

The discussion also covers the benefits of loyalty programs, particularly the value in rewarding long-standing customers rather than exclusively focusing on new ones. Personalized communication is another key point, with suggestions like tailored emails, handwritten notes, or personalized videos for new customers to show that their preferences and feedback are valued. 

They stress the importance of consistent engagement, such as sharing business updates and behind-the-scenes content to keep customers involved and connected to the brand. Additionally, they discuss the importance and challenges of actively seeking customer feedback to improve products and services, noting that while it can be difficult to receive, it is invaluable for business improvement. 

Throughout the episode, Jessie and Angela reflect on their experiences and practices, acknowledging areas for improvement in their approaches.

**ANNOUNCEMENT** After nearly 3 years, the Marketing Moms podcast is sunsetting. Thank you so much for the unwavering support, well-wishes, and memories. This has been the experience of a lifetime <3
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Jessie & Angela

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Transcript

00:00.00
jessievalle
Hey everyone today we are going to be talking about how you can strengthen existing customer relationships and really retain the customers that you have.

00:43.79
jessievalle
All right? as we wrap up the first month of Angela and I kind of shifting gears and focusing more on the established businesses that are over that initial client acquisition hustle phase. We are like okay well what comes next and part of what comes next is strengthening that relationship with the customers you already have so that they will continue to buy from you they will refer you they will give you good testimonies. All the things.

01:08.20
Angela
I.

01:22.33
jessievalle
But today specifically we want to focus on kind of how you can retain that client and a few tips on strengthening that relationship with those customers you already have.

01:34.79
Angela
Yeah, it's I mean one of the first things you learn in business is that it is overall cheaper to retain clients than to gain clients so retaining clients. Is a really good way to continue to grow your business slowly and to kind of maintain and give yourself that space that you're looking for once you've gotten out of that hustle phase.

02:01.49
jessievalle
Yeah, and I think this is where a lot of businesses start to falter a bit because there's so much messaging out there about the marketing and hey we're marketing moms. We get it marketing is important. It's important to go out and get new clients and find new ways to bring people into your world but that is not all business like that's not the entire business There's a big part of. Turning those leads into customers retaining those customers getting those customers to stick with you for the long haul and eventually bringing other people in through referrals and and so how you treat your customers matters a lot. And it's just the next step in your marketing. It's marketing and then it's like actually taking care of the business. So that's kind of what we wanted to talk about today.

03:05.76
Angela
Right? And I see a lot of people that are still in that hustle phase that really let customer service kind of fall to the wayside and maintaining those relationships because they're still in that mindset of grow grow get new customers. Get new clients get more get better.

03:16.55
jessievalle
Um, okay.

03:25.21
Angela
And so then when they are ready to stabilize and kind of maintain. They don't necessarily have those good client and customer relationships.

03:34.97
jessievalle
All right? So let's talk about that for a minute that would be our first tip is to offer exceptional customer service right? So it is not hard to provide prompt helpful. Empathetic support right? So if someone has an issue with what they purchased from you. It grows that loyalty through. Open communication, consistent, reliable helpful information. This is one of the reasons why I not good at customer service and it's better for someone like me to hire someone. Who is more empathetic and good with people not that I'm not good with people but I'm a very black and white person like this is the rule stick to it but you you have to have someone in that customer service role that can bend the rules a little bit and not feel weird about it.

04:30.36
Angela
E.

04:36.62
Angela
Bright.

04:47.35
jessievalle
And be helpful for specific people in their specific situations I know I am not that person so this is the type of person I would hire for my you know large growing business or why I have someone like Angela answer.

04:59.49
Angela
Right.

05:05.59
jessievalle
Customer questions instead of me because I just know that's not my personal strong suit.

05:09.80
Angela
Right? Yeah and it it is really important because those personal interactions can really spiral and having good customer service having that helpful empathetic support. Can impact your business not necessarily losing 1 customer or client. Whatever may not necessarily make or break your business. But the word of mouth that you can get from a really good customer experience. the recommendations the referrals

05:40.31
jessievalle
Um, and.

05:45.91
Angela
Things like that those can really make an impact in your business and.

05:51.23
jessievalle
Um, and I have seen firsthand how it is really hard for a business to come back from having those having a reputation of being bad.

06:06.41
Angela
Yeah.

06:08.86
jessievalle
Then so like it is harder to come back from a bad reputation than to establish a good reputation from the get go.

06:13.45
Angela
Right? Yeah, if you're going to have poor customer service. You really have to be like the the biggest name on the block with very little comfort like Facebook everybody knows Facebook does not have any customer service. Support. You cannot get a hold of an actual person at Facebook to save your life but they're also they're the only 1 doing what they're doing. They're not the only social media company but they are the only 1 doing what they're doing. They're the only one with the reach they have. They're the only one with the ad space they have so they can kind of get away with that.

06:34.50
jessievalle
The.

06:41.59
jessievalle
Ah.

06:52.61
Angela
Most businesses cannot get away with not having good customer service.

06:57.40
jessievalle
Yeah, and I think that people are willing to overlook some other shortcomings of your business if you have that exceptional customer service. Or for example I have a friend who is the largest fan.

07:09.10
Angela
Oh.

07:16.31
jessievalle
Of zappos.com the the shoe the shoe company because their customer service is like second to none like their customer service is so above and beyond she doesn't care that she sometimes pays a higher price for shoes.

07:17.90
Angela
Yeah.

07:22.88
Angela
Yeah.

07:33.30
jessievalle
Because the customer service is so easy to work with so helpful. So prompt. It matters a lot. But yeah.

07:38.56
Angela
Yes, that's how I feel about the munchkin company like the baby brand munchkin when my kids were little. We had a nightlight that broke like shortly after we got it and it ended up we had to replace it like 2 or 3 times. But their customer service was so amazing. Even their automated line like had a message on it that was something like we know how busy you are and and it's probably like nap time or whatever so please enjoy a few minutes of silence. They didn't have hold music. It was just it's quiet. On the phone and the the people that you talked to are really helpful. They were quick to send out replacements. You know, really apologized and and seemed sincere and so I didn't mind having to do it a couple times to get 1 that worked because.

08:15.54
jessievalle
That's awesome.

08:31.78
Angela
The customer support was really good and really helpful and really understood their customer base.

08:34.26
jessievalle
Um.

08:38.57
jessievalle
Yeah, ah it reminds me of another time where I had just gotten a new pair of glasses and my super helpful toddler wanted to get my glasses and give them to me I mean I had had them a couple. Days and she bent them and so I took them back to the eyeglasses place and I fully expected to spend another couple hundred dollars on a new pair of glasses because it was my fault that I left it out for my toddler to grab.

08:56.78
Angela
All.

09:04.59
Angela
Right.

09:12.88
jessievalle
And they were like you know what don't worry about it. We're going to give you a brand new pair for free I'm like no no, no I will pay for it and they're like Nope we're good you just and then it even worked out because they had a different color frame that I liked more and um.

09:23.47
Angela
He.

09:28.50
jessievalle
So I ended up getting that and I was just like wow like now I know that if I need glasses I'm going back to that same place. It doesn't matter. It has been years. My toddler is now eight and I am still thinking about that experience of when she was like 2

09:32.37
Angela
Um, yeah, um, right.

09:45.41
jessievalle
I'm still thinking about that experience and I'm still going to go back to that same place even though a bajillian places sell glasses when I need a new pair I'm going back there and then that also reminds me that it's probably been 11 years since I've got a new pair of glasses but to be.

09:51.10
Angela
Um, yeah.

10:00.74
Angela
About time.

10:02.89
jessievalle
Fair I Only mostly wear contacts. Ah.

10:07.71
jessievalle
So it it. The reason we're spending so much time on this customer service is because it is like the core importance of retaining your existing customers.

10:08.54
Angela
No.

10:15.37
Angela
It's very important. Yeah yes, speaking of maintaining existing customers and loyalty loyalty programs are a really good way to help. Keep people engaged and keep people coming back.

10:33.59
jessievalle
Um, yeah, it reminds me how so many times when they're like you know special deal for new customers only and I'm just like what I hate that I'm like I have been a loyal customer.

10:42.48
Angela
Oh I hate that.

10:48.68
jessievalle
For the last ten years and you're going to give new customers a better deal than me. That's why there's that I'm going to say the wrong one. There is a phone company I'll just leave it at that then because I can't I'm gonna say the wrong one. There's a phone company that. Has that commercial I don't know if you've seen it where there's like a sign that says new customers you know and then there's the deal and they're like well I'm an existing customer what about that and the guy flips a sign around and it's like existing customers and it's the same deal and then somebody walks in and they're like but I'm a new customer and they flip the sign around again. So like the.

11:09.58
Angela
Yeah.

11:17.10
Angela
Oh yeah, flip it back around. That's awesome.

11:25.21
jessievalle
The whole point is it doesn't matter whether you are new or existing you're getting the same great deal and although I will say that having that loyalty program meaning a special discount for existing people.

11:29.95
Angela
Um, yeah.

11:42.37
jessievalle
To me means more than new customers because it's like when um I get like extra discounts at coals or my favorite coffee place because I bought so many coffees and I get 1 free or you know like.

11:43.51
Angela
Yeah.

11:51.73
Angela
Right.

11:57.55
Angela
Um, yeah.

12:01.76
jessievalle
That kind of stuff I enjoy getting that.

12:03.69
Angela
Yeah, and that is a good incentive for people to keep coming back.

12:10.40
jessievalle
Um, yeah I'm just sitting here like yeah, it's great idea. So glad it's on the list.

12:18.84
Angela
Yeah, that's it. That's yes, that's it. That's what it is. It's great idea and you should do it? yes.

12:23.89
jessievalle
But there's not really much else I can say it is a great Idea. You should do it. Or it's like if you have and here's something Else. You could do is host Events. You could host events to strengthen that relationship because whether it's virtual or in person. Doesn't matter if it is something that you can do to directly connect with your customers. But if you offered a discount for existing customers or. For people who have been with you a certain amount of time then not only are they more likely to show up and then it strengthens and then they're going to hang around longer. But it's also something that will make the people who are just joining be like Wow if I hang around they really take care of me.

13:12.31
Angela
Right.

13:21.68
Angela
Right? Yeah, exactly Yes, so another thing that you can do is to really personalize your communication with clients and customers really.

13:24.26
jessievalle
I Can't wait till that's me getting the discount.

13:39.79
Angela
Everybody can tell when they're getting a form letter or a form email or a templated something you really? we've most of us been around long enough that we can tell those of us who are a little bit younger.

13:44.47
jessievalle
Um, and the are.

13:54.38
Angela
So personalizing those communications tailoring those interactions to show that you understand who they are their preferences The feedback that you're getting from them that active listening sort of thing um not just responding but actually listening to respond.

14:07.40
jessievalle
The.

14:14.18
Angela
Type thing can make a big difference with clients and customers can really make them feel seen and heard valued and want to stay and continue interacting with you.

14:23.90
jessievalle
Right? Especially if it's again going to the customer service saying hey I you know this issue is going on. This is what's happening in my life right now people care about their lives more than they care about you and your business.

14:37.98
Angela
Oh yes.

14:42.14
jessievalle
So for you to come back and say oh I'm really sorry that this is happening in your life right now I'm sure that's very stressful for you Here's what I can do for you. So it's like affirming what they told you and it's like the compliment sandwich right? like.

14:47.19
Angela
Right? Yeah yeah.

14:56.73
Angela
Right? yeah.

14:59.28
jessievalle
Start by affirming what they told you then the toss in the bad news which is I am not giving you X I v But thanks, we're asking. But thanks for being a loyal customer. We appreciate your business. Ah.

15:01.56
Angela
Right? right? I can't do this thing for you? Yes, Yeah well and a lot of times you get the like the acknowledge. Tell them. You know if you can't do something for them. Tell them. You can't do it and then tell them what you can do for them so that they feel like you are at least trying to work with them a little bit.

15:24.10
jessievalle
Right.

15:30.33
jessievalle
Yeah, and when we say personalized communication I don't mean your email blasts having their name hey Angela Didda that I personally hate that because I'm like it is clear. This is not specific to me now some people.

15:38.10
Angela
Um, yeah, yeah, this.

15:45.87
Angela
Right? right.

15:48.38
jessievalle
Where by having hey Jesse I personally don't do it I personally don't like it. However, here's a here's a let me slip in a marketing tip Angela that I heard the other day that was very interesting that some people add first names to the. The subject line because when it goes through like spam filters and just the things it doesn't look like you're sending thousands of the same email. They all look unique because it's personalized. It looks.

16:09.79
Angela
Um.

16:19.55
Angela
Right? Because it's personalized. That's really cool.

16:26.32
jessievalle
It it is so I'm like ok well, that's interesting. But I so like if for an email to say hey Jesse open this. But then when I open it. It's like I don't I don't know I don't know how I feel about it. But I see the tactic and I respect it.

16:42.42
Angela
Yes I can see especially from a tech point because email companies. Especially Google have been really really cracking down on spam and I've even noticed some emails from people that I get regularly like. Some of them are ending up in spam and some of them are not I'm not sure what the algorithm is doing there. But so I could see like wanting to increase your chance of landing in an inbox by using that personalization in the subject but I'm like you I don't.

17:03.15
jessievalle
Um, and.

17:14.53
jessievalle
Um, it.

17:18.50
Angela
Even really notice if people use my name in an email anymore. Um, probably because I've set up so many of those email templates that it just doesn't even it's not a thing that I even notice anymore.

17:22.83
jessievalle
Ah.

17:27.26
jessievalle
Um, yeah, yeah.

17:33.72
Angela
But there have been a few emails that I have gotten that have really felt personalized that I have actually wondered like did they sit down and type that out like just for me or is this like a template email.

17:51.70
jessievalle
And then there's also that program The what is it bojono or something where you could create personalized videos for new customers. Yeah, yeah, if you don't have a large customer base.

17:51.44
Angela
Yeah I mean.

17:57.22
Angela
Yeah, you can make videos I have a client that uses that and I've gotten a couple. They're really cool.

18:10.42
jessievalle
Like if you have ah ah so fewer customers at higher ticket items. It might be worth your time to do that personalized communication and I remember I once worked with a woman who every new person who joined her program. She handwrote a thank you note and sent it to them. Like through the mail. Yeah, yeah, yeah, so the personalized even if it's as simple as a postcard it impacts a customer's view of you and your business.

18:28.80
Angela
I've gotten a couple of those those make me feel real special.

18:39.81
Angela
Um, even some bigger companies do that chewy is really good about that. We get a birthday and Christmas cards for our pets that are like actually signed by people like it's signed.

18:52.60
jessievalle
Um, yeah, yeah.

18:54.75
Angela
You know from chewy or whatever but like you can feel the ink you know the pen markings. You can tell that it was like actually they pay somebody to sit down and sign cards. But the fact that somebody took the time to think about doing that and then invested money from their company into doing that you know.

19:12.10
jessievalle
Um, yeah, yeah, we get we get cards like that from our um financial advisors and from our real estate agents things like that.

19:13.64
Angela
It's the thought that counts Basically the fact that somebody thought to do that.

19:22.41
Angela
The.

19:29.51
jessievalle
Yeah, a another thing on the list here is consistent engagement right? So This is about how you are sharing a little bit of behind the scenes and what's going on in your world with your customers. Right? So It keeps them involved. It makes them feel like they have this connection to your brand versus other brands that may be similar.

19:54.52
Angela
Yeah, you know where you see this in action really well is with Kickstarter campaigns Now those are companies that are still in the growth phase. But for the specific example, It's a good example.

20:10.54
jessievalle
In it.

20:12.72
Angela
Because as they go along as you know they get all of the people they meet their goal and then they have to go through the process of actually making the thing and with Kickstarter Campaigns. You will see a lot of updates of this is what's going On. We had to resource this thing or we thought we had a. Ah, somebody to provide this and it didn't work or we didn't think it was up to par and now we're doing this other thing and it really makes people feel involved with the process and you can do the same thing even if you have a service business just some emails of hey it's.

20:40.58
jessievalle
The.

20:50.10
Angela
Spring Whatever here's some things I've been doing here's some things going on in the business. You know here's a new service I'm adding or just a reminder I have this service type thing just to be consistently communicating with your clients in a way that. Makes them feel involved.

21:11.43
jessievalle
Um, yeah, and Angela and I are the first to say that we are not always the best at doing what we say it's like the parenthood right? It's like.

21:24.35
Angela
Um, yeah, this is one of the hardest things. Not what I do ah we could be better at that.

21:27.30
jessievalle
Do what I say not what I do and I'm just sitting here like Angela we could be better at that because we we could be much better at sharing regular updates with fuck with our listeners.

21:38.80
Angela
Yeah.

21:42.61
jessievalle
I think that we do a good job here on the podcast but we could do a better job in email and social media. So that's the other thing is there are different places you can share that engagement.

21:49.50
Angela
Yeah, for sure.

21:57.37
jessievalle
So if you have like a Youtube channel or a podcast or a blog email lists social media. All those places.

22:00.79
Angela
And.

22:08.18
jessievalle
All right? and the last one here is asking for feedback now this one's hard because it is a time where you are seeking their opinions. To improve your products or services. But it's really hard because you have to be able to take that feedback and be like um yeah I could do better at that.

22:50.83
jessievalle
All right? Well I paused for a moment because Angela froze so we are so close to the end I'm just going to finish this up myself. Yes, asking for feedback can be very hard but it is. Invaluable information to hear from the people who are your ideal customers not just ideal customers. They have actually put money down for your product or service. So hearing what they have to say about how you could improve. It is gold. You have to take that information now you can't just take you know one piece of information from one disgruntled customer. But if you start to see a pattern in the feedback you're like oh you know several people have said this maybe I should try to implement that. It is worth my time to change my product or service to accommodate this thing that multiple people have said could improve their experience with my brand. That's worth your time if it's one angry person saying this stunk and I don't like it and I don't want to deal with it. That's probably not worth your time because. They have a bad taste in their mouth to begin with so whether it's asking for feedback on social media or if you're at the end of a client relationship giving a exit survey as part of your exit process.

24:22.91
jessievalle
Whether it's just sending out an email saying we want to hear from you or running a giveaway for feedback like oh there are different ways to ask for feedback find the way that feels best to you but then don't get defensive. You have to go into it with an open mind and open for that feedback. You have asked for. Because you know that all you're trying to do in the end is strengthen your product and service and relationship with your customers so that you can stay in business long term so those are several things that you can do to strengthen your existing customer relationships and. Really build that bond with retaining the customers that you've already brought into your world all right? If you have some tips that you want to share please be sure to reach out. We are at marketing mom's podcast on Instagram and we will talk to you next week ie