What’s the main reason why customers stop buying from you? Many people think it’s price; most research shows it to be indifference – and by a big margin.
Peppers and Rogers Group has dug deeper and found that it’s actually the emotional experience that a customer gets from dealing with their main contact at your company that causes them to switch from – or encourages them to stay with – your business.
If a good relationship is maintained then they’re more likely to stay long-term, whereas if they feel ignored from one annual renewal to the next then they’re much more likely to seek out an alternative.
So how do you as a business effectively maintain a positive relationship with your customer base? Well LinkedIn could certainly be big part of the answer, and it’s here that we can help.
Your 3-step action plan
- Start by optimising your profile
Anyone receiving a personal introduction from you is likely to check your LinkedIn profile - so make sure that it’s fully optimised.
Prominently feature your core message so that your client continues to be reminded how they benefit from staying with you.
- Now invite your clients to connect with you
The core driver of any broker business is customers. And customers, like anyone else, need to feel valued and appreciated all year round, not just at the point of renewal or a claim.
So next time you have a positive contact with a particular client (and if you haven't done this already) invite them to connect with you on LinkedIn .
Our free ‘LinkedIn Client Invitation’ template on Broker Create should be helpful here.
- Then keep in regular contact for at least the first two or three years
Develop a programme using LinkedIn to keep in regular contact with your clients, especially in the first few years where experience shows that customers are more likely to move their business elsewhere.
Ask for their input, ideas and insight, invite them to events, for coffee, to a local networking group. Maybe get their feedback on your planned referral programme, or share content with them (which you'll find for example on Broker Create) – be creative and engaging.