5 Places to Focus on Clients and Customers

The vision for your business, cause/passion, or ministry has attracted your family members, friends, local clients, and customers. They bought into the idea, enjoy your products and services. However, it is not enough to sustain you and a team full time. It is time to stop playing small and extend your vision to its farthest reach. It is time to go beyond the familiar. Take the risk to reach beyond your comfort zone so others may enjoy what you have to offer.

What do you have to lose? People are waiting for what you have to offer. There are many waiting for you to expand on what you are providing. Creativity increases your growth and customer loyalty, as well as the active engagement of your team. If you are producing what you produced what when you first started in business in the same manner, then it is safe to say that you are missing opportunities and leaving money on the table.

You do not need to abandon the essence of your vision. A real solid idea should not change. It opens the door for the delivery of the concept to be enhanced with new variations and extensions of the same as you meet the needs of those whom you are serving and desire to serve.

#1 Stay in Touch with Your Community. Recognize that your customer/client base needs change for a whole host of reasons. As their needs, behaviors, desires change, anticipate the impact to your product line or services and make the necessary adjustments. Package the changes you make in your offerings to excite your community. You want them to continue to add to what they purchase from you. The goal is to have them repeatedly return to your establishment because they know you will always meet their needs. You can only achieve this if you actively participate in the community with the clear intentions of serving the community as gaps allow you to fulfill your vision.

#2 Continue to Evolve and Create. Fresh and relevant products and services attract clients and customers. The old saying of "if it's not broke don't fix it" is not always good for profitability and growth. Finding new ways to present your service and product will ensure that your customers do not become bored with your organization. Avoid being predictable. Refresh your staple or stand-by products and services. Never become stale to you customers or you employees/team. Encourage innovation and you'll enjoy the magnificence of a high performing team and strong customer brand loyalty.

#3 Understand Your Profit Margins and Focus on Growth. There is a cost associated with doing business. Are you recovering your value and profit also? How much exactly does it cost you to service each client in each program offering? There are times, especially when offering new products/services that you purposely choose to operate at a lower profit margin. However, in all cases, know your profit margin so you will know exactly how and where to grow your business. I am sure successful longevity is one of your goals. We achieve success through growth to meet any turnover in clients/customers that we may experience. As your business grows, your profits allow you to provide more quality products and services. Growth is the goal, so more people can experience the benefits you bring to the marketplace and community.

#4 Depend on Systems to Function Successfully. The growth we speak about requires more efficiencies built into your operations. Additional people to your teams are not always the best answer. How do you get more things done quicker and with the excellent quality your customers expect? Incorporating systems allows your organization to run efficiently and, in many cases, more effectively. Systems don't always reference or require automation, even though the more you can automate, the better. Methods also include process, procedures, and best practices that allow consistent handling of day to day operations and servicing of your clients/customers. Customers desire reliable positive customer service along with quality products. Systems and automation provide you with the mechanisms to achieve and sustain the success you desire.

#5 Strong Follow Up. How much do you care? Have you personally invested the experience your customers have with your products, services, staff, employees, etc.? Companies rise and fall on customer service. There are times when superior follow up with customers will cause them to overlook areas where you may not have rated as high. Follow up also has to be balanced. Strong follow up does not mean high frequency to the point of annoyance. Know your customers and the balance of follow up that fits their style as a group. Follow up-to measure their experience and gather suggestions regarding what they'd like you to continue doing, what they'd like you to improve and what they suggest you stop. Feedback is a gift. It should never change the vision; what you are called or purposed to achieve in the world. As you remain true to the image given to you, the feedback is a reference point as to how best to fulfill your vision.

Gone are the days when we can afford for people to come to us for products and services. People have many options. You always want to make sure your business is among the choices they are considering and then choose your products/services. There are techniques and tools available to support the life of your vision. Breathing life back into your operation and offerings is critical. The Achievement Track Program will help stabilize your business so you experience healthy growth. It will bring relief, enhance the quality of life in your organization and positively impact your community through your product/service offerings. Sign up today for The Achievement Track Program and increase your success.