You’ve likely heard the staggering statistic that it can cost you up to five times more to attract a new customer than it does to nurture an existing customer relationship.
With this in mind, spending the majority of your effort engaging current clients seems like a no-brainer. On the other hand, your business won’t survive without client acquisition. So which one is it? Should you spend more time nurturing your current client relationships or putting in work to attract new clients?
The short is both. It is crucial you spend equal time and energy on engaging current clients as well as attracting new potential clients. Without a consistent effort on both, you’ll take the long route to entrepreneurial success.
This article aims to help you work better with your current clients and boost your business by finding quality potential clients. Let’s start with five ways to engage your existing clients.
Five Ways to Engage Your Current Clients
As stated above, you are going to spend a lot more money on attracting new clients than you will on engaging current clients.
With that being said, engaging your current clients only results in more revenue for your business if you prioritize improving your working relationship with them every chance you get. Here are five ways to do so below:
1. Conduct an informal check-in
Consistent, effective communication is critical in growing your relationships with your current clients. If you’ve neglected to set communication expectations, start the process with an informal check-in.
Reach out to your current clients and propose times you are available to schedule a touch base. Come prepared with an agenda for the meeting, but also be flexible if the client directs the general flow of the meeting to a topic that isn’t on your agenda.
You want to make sure you are not wasting your client’s time, but in order to build ongoing rapport try to avoid sticking to just business. Building a relationship and finding common ground can help carry your relationship through tougher times in the future.
If you don’t already have a recurring meeting set up to update the client on progress and serve as a touchpoint, use your check-in meeting to set this up. If the client isn’t interested in regular in-person meetings consider email, slack, or other alternatives in place of a call or video meeting.
Next, in a future meeting, ask for feedback on their experience with your business so far.
2. Ask for feedback on their experience
One of the best ways to find out how to better serve and work with your current clients is to ask them. Ask your current customers for feedback on their experience with your business thus far through a survey or private conversation.
In your client survey or individual conversations, ask them questions about:
- Their preferred communication style and method
- What they like most about your work
- What they think you could improve on
- How to improve communication
- If they are satisfied with your working relationship
- Ideas they have for growing the relationship
Another way to engage your current clients is to host a special event for them.
3. Host a special event
Reward your current customers’ loyalty with an invite to an exclusive customer appreciation event, discount, or giveaway.
Additionally, you want to pay special attention to your unresponsive clients. Brainstorm ways to encourage their participation in your event.
They may not have the best communication now, but a conversation at an event tailor-made for them, or around a custom discount, may be what you need to get the relationship back on track. Also, be sure to prioritize in-person visits throughout the year, if possible.
4. Visit them in-person
We’ve become accustomed to handling almost everything virtually. However, face-to-face interaction with your clients may be crucial. They can get to know the face and voice behind the emails, and you can learn more about their operation.
Ask if you can visit them at least once per quarter to ensure you are showing the clients you care. As an alternative, if you don’t currently use video software for meetings, consider making the switch.
Lastly, turn your focus inward, and boost your performance.
5. Boost your performance
Don’t just do the job—aim higher. Help your clients achieve their business vision by excelling in your role. Even if you can’t help them achieve their dream on your own, you can still go above and beyond in the project.
If you are positioning yourself as instrumental in their success, be sure you can uphold that standard. If your contact has to report to internal stakeholders, partner with them to ensure they have everything they need to represent your work, progress, and successes in these internal conversations.
Consistently enhance the quality of your work and the speed at which you deliver it to clients. Always keep in mind that the goal is to provide the best value to your clients. That is what keeps them loyal to your business.
Now, let’s explore ways to find new clients.
Five Ways to Find New Potential Clients
As stated above, finding new potential clients is just as important as engaging with your current clients. Therefore, put in a considerable effort finding potential clients and developing those relationships until they become a permanent part of your clientele.
Here are five ways to attract quality leads and find new potential clients to boost your business.
1. Refresh your website
If you don’t have a website, jump on designing one immediately. However, if you do, and it isn’t getting you the desired results, it may be time for a complete rebuild.
Focus on attracting higher-paying clients with your website’s design, SEO techniques, and functionality. Be sure that your website meets accessibility requirements. Digital accessibility is crucial because:
- Your website is navigable by people living with a disability. Unfortunately, many businesses neglect the needs of these potential clients and lose out on big money. Don’t be one of them.
- If clients can’t navigate your website seamlessly, they’ll leave it, and your chances at a long-term relationship will go with them. Accessibility lets you ensure your website is easy to interact with even if you aren’t living with a disability.
You can also leverage social media to find potential clients.
Grow your client list, and ultimately, your business by using social media effectively. You can grow your social media pages with consistent content and engagement with your audience. Also, you can join various groups on these platforms your ideal clients frequent and boost your presence within them.
If you are a freelancer, specifically, you can take your efforts to connect with potential clients online to job boards and sites as well. These sites have done the majority of the leg work for you. All you have to do is choose clients and projects that match your skillset and express your interest by contacting them directly.
Another way to find new clients is to take advantage of digital advertising.
3. Take advantage of digital advertising
You can reach a wider audience by taking advantage of digital advertising. You can deploy ad campaigns on social media, search engines, and other digital platforms. In addition, digital ads don’t have to be expensive. You can get started with as little as a few dollars.
Also, the platforms that do offer ad slots usually walk you through the process of setting up your campaign and guide you on how to manage it. Networking events are a great space to meet potential clients as well.
4. Attend networking events
Attending networking events in your industry is an excellent way to connect with potential new clients. Don’t overlook the importance of exploring new networks at in-person and virtual events.
Don’t go to acquire new clients that day. Instead, go there to connect with individuals who could truly benefit from your products and services when the time presents itself. Finally, you can deepen your community relationships to find potential new clients.
5. Deepen community relationships
The more involved in your local community, the better. Deepening your community relationships is one of the most productive ways to meet new people and grow your brand’s reputation in your community.
Ultimately, when you are heavily involved in your community, people begin to know your brand. Then, as their support for your business grows, they’ll be more likely to recommend your company when someone needs your products or services.
Conclusion
If your engagement with your current clients is lacking, or you are eager to find new potential clients, start with the tips on this list for the best chance at fixing your client troubles.
Ainsley Lawrence is a writer who loves to talk about good health, balanced life, and better living through technology. She is frequently lost in a good book.
