Couldn’t make it to our 2018 kickoff EdgeTalk? No worries! In this post we recap the three main takeaways from Dawn Shuler’s presentation: Turn Your Customers Into Raving Fans. Shuler is the CEO and founder of The Shuler Group, a consulting firm that works to help clients achieve their goals through team building, employee engagement, sales training, and communication.
The key to Shuler's approach is the fact that "a repeat customer has a 60-70% chance of converting to more sales." Thus, by turning your customers into “raving fans”, they are more likely to become repeat customers, creating a win-win situation! Here are three tips from Shuler on how to shift your focus to retaining existing customers instead of repeating the constant cycle of bringing on brand-new customers.
1. Know Your Personality
Shuler uses the B.A.N.K personality-based sales training system to show you exactly how you should be authentically communicating with your customers. There are four personality types: blueprint, action, nurturing and knowledge. “Blueprint” is for people who identify with values such as stability, rules and tradition, while “action” people are more concerned with freedom, flexibility and stimulation. “Nurturing” personalities focus on teamwork, relationships and ethics, as opposed to “knowledge” personalities who value logic, research and accuracy.
Once you’ve identified your type, you can better connect with customers based on your similarities. According to Shuler, there is an 82% success rate with business transactions when the personality types are aligned- so figuring out your B.A.N.K trait is something everyone should seriously consider!
2. Speak the Customers’ Language
In addition to identifying personality types, it is important to speak your customer’s language. Extrapolate their values and tailor your language based on their views. For example, a nurturing type will seek to foster a relationship with you, while an action type could focus more on sealing the deal. It’s important to always listen for cues in your customers' language that indicate what they want. Don’t simply stick to the same sales script every time!
3. Rockstar Customer Service
According to Shuler, a customer is four times more likely to leave for a competitor over a customer service related issue rather than a price or product related one. This means it is your job to provide rockstar customer service! Go above and beyond for clients and they will take notice. Increasing client retention by just 5% has the potential to boost profit in the long run by over 90%. Each customers’ satisfaction is key to sustained profits because they will refer others to your services. About 65% of business comes from referrals, which means if you can be a rockstar with customer service, there is no telling how far your business can go!
At AdvantEdge, we love bringing people together to learn more about business tips and information- it’s one of the many things that makes our community unique! We are thrilled to have Dawn present at our first EdgeTalk of 2018, and we look forward to implementing her techniques in our own processes.
Don't forget to follow the Shuler Group on Facebook, and stay tuned for details on our next EdgeTalk by following AdvantEdge on Facebook and other social media accounts (links at the bottom of the page!). A big thank you to everyone who participated, and we look forward to seeing you next time!
