The ability to maintain sales engagement beyond closing a deal can help you build stronger relationships with your clients and customers over the long-term.
Since selling to existing customers is 70% more likely than closing a deal with a new prospect, nurturing customer engagement throughout the pipeline is vital for a successful business. Developing a repertoire with customers can be achieved in multiple ways, such as using engaging communication techniques, rewards or loyalty programs, and maintaining company standards. These techniques can help your customer see the value of you and your company.
Regular Standards Evaluation
It is important to regularly evaluate your services to make sure they maintain a company standard. Doing this ensures you are providing your customers with the highest quality service possible. This is important for circling back around with clients to see if there is anything else you can do for them that might has come about since the original closed deal. The best case scenario is that you find that a customer needs additional services from your company — leading to expansion on your original deal. In the event that your evaluation determines that the services you provide a customer are no longer benefitting both parties, the honesty and dedication to a customer’s success show integrity and can go a long way for referrals and recommendations.
Connect Through Social Media
Social media facilitates communication between businesses and customers. It also acts as a marketing platform through which you can gather leads and opportunities by getting your brand name out there. Connecting with customers on social media is a way to engage and start a discussion with your audience. Approaching social media as a pure sales outlet may not be the best strategy — instead, think of it as a means of communication and way to nurture relationships throughout the customer’s journey through the pipeline. Over time, loyal customers increase in value because of their high probability of buying from you in the future, so it is important to foster those connections. Video is the most popular content on social media today, so be sure to utilize videos in your sales engagement strategy in order to be successful.
Reward Loyal Customers
Referral rewards give additional services or add-ons to loyal customers. They are more likely to recommend your services to their friends and colleagues if you go above and beyond what they expected from your business. Starbucks rewards loyal customers with a gold card that earns stars for each food and beverage purchase. Once a customer compiles 250 stars, or points, they earn a free beverage. However, Starbucks goes above and beyond this rewards program by giving customers free birthday drinks and special offers that other customers don’t have access to. Surprising your customers and clients by going that extra mile makes them happy, and happy customers usually tell others about those happy experiences.
Closing a deal shouldn’t be the end of your communication with customers. Renewals, expansions and referrals all depend on customer engagement and satisfaction, which all in turn depend on sales engagement. It’s important to know what’s working in your engagement strategy, and who is connecting with the information you share. Use Ving digital packets to start knowing what your contacts engage with the most, so that you can cater future communication to their preferences.
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