Who doesn’t want their business to be the talk of the town? No one! When someone comes to your business based on a recommendation from a loyal customer, you can’t help but grin from ear to ear. Relationship capital at work not only boosts your mood, but also your business!
Since relationship capital is so valuable to client relationships and the business, it’s essential to understand how to build relationships and boost referrals.
Exceeding Expectations And Showing Appreciation
Word of mouth is one of the most powerful tools that can propel referrals to your business. However, it largely depends on loyalty, which you have to earn. This won’t happen by simply greeting customers when they come into your business; you need to go above and beyond to form these kinds of bonds. Luckily, there are some fairly straightforward things you can do.
Any customer will tell you that when a business shows genuine appreciation for their clients, it can make patrons feel valued and even important. You can do this by addressing concerns and problems quickly so they understand that they’re a priority. Not only will that build a foundation of loyalty, but it will also allow you to create a positive experience for your customers to rave about.
But nobody wants to work for free, right? If you want to sweeten the deal and make sure your customers are actually sharing these good referrals with their friends, family, coworkers, and anyone else they know, offer them something valuable in return. Whether it be a gift card, a basket filled with goodies, or exclusive offers and discounts, give something back to your customers for connecting you with prospects. They deserve it!
Thoughtful Conversations
What better way to get feedback from your customers than by sitting down and talking to them? Investing your time and energy into understanding your customers’ values and objectives is a great way to collect vital information regarding your business.
Not only is it straight from the source, but you can also build a stronger relationship with people by being present and listening to what they have to say. This can go a long way toward proving to customers that your relationship is a partnership and not just a business transaction.
We all know the phrase, “actions speak louder than words,” and this is no exception. You can chat with customers all day long, but you should be willing to act on those words and make any necessary changes. When customers know you share their values and actually listen when they have feedback, they’ll be far more likely to submit a referral.
Reliability
When you turn those words into actions, you’re setting yourself up for success. This, in turn, can lead to the development of trust, one of the most critical aspects of building strong relationship capital.
To create reliability, you can use feedback you’ve gathered from your conversation with the customer and act accordingly. Recognizing their values and objections and making changes in alignment with those values lets your customers feel like they can truly count on you to provide the best experiences possible.
As most people know, relationships move at the speed of trust. If your customers find you reliable, they will never even consider switching to competitors and will always remain loyal to your business.
Relationship capital is a reflection of trust, integrity, and authenticity within any business. Getting more referrals isn’t always easy, but if you’re willing to put in the time and effort to strengthen relationships with loyal customers, you may find yourself flooded with referrals.
Got any tips on how to boost referrals through relationship capital? Tell us all about it! Here at Newsletter Pro, we’re always interested in what you have to say.
