A bright shiny client retention strategy treats existing clients like the solidly and brightly shining golden treasure they are. Instead of glittering baubles of uncertain worth.
Consider that the success of existing clients is the key for your business growth strategy.
Yet, far too often, once the contract is consummated, existing clients are shunted off “somewhere” in the organization. Then, they are stored within “someone’s” CRM or Project Management Office system. At that point, they can become disconnected from the pulse of an organization.
Consider, then, how many opportunities your organization has to ignore or forget about your client retention base. Instead of continuously keeping them top-of-mind, you only admire how brightly they shine every now-and-then. Perhaps, paying attention on a quarterly basis, when profit and loss analysis is scheduled.
Often, chasing bright shiny new clients distracts you from equally paying continuous attention to brightly shining existing clients.
Yet, consider that bright shiny new client objects are unproven. For starters, you really do not know what you have to work with. Until after you spend too much time chasing what appears to be substantial leads, only to have them evaporate due to misaligned intentions. Or, you create too many iterations of a project design. Then, that bright shiny new client object shops your designs around, eventually selecting a different vendor, based on price.
Ponder whether existing clients would treat you in the same manner? Then, why not treat them more respectfully?
You see, a solid client retention strategy is implemented during pre-sale and at time of sale. In fact, customer retention is a never-ending continuum. Not an either-or, optional, or when-convenient one. Regardless of the size of your organization or association.
Value your client retention strategy as the foundational core of a solid business growth strategy. Within this business growth strategy, no existing customer’s loyalty is ever assumed or taken for granted.
To learn more about how to value your brilliantly shining existing clients, take the next steps. Isn’t it time?
Planning your next team, corporate or association meeting? Searching for a one-on-one catalyst to get you unstuck? Engage me to present a One Millimeter Mindset ™ program! Delivered virtually or in-person. Contact me here.
I am an extroverted STEM professional and left-brain thinker specializing in professional innovation, cross-functional leadership and client retention. I catalyze professionals to translate across communication and collaboration disconnects. Become more professionally visible, cross-functionally relevant and strategically valuable to your organizations. Better serve each other first so you better serve your clients together. One millimeter at a time. My One Millimeter Mindset™ virtual and in-person speaking programs leverage Voice of the Customer design methodology and storytelling to move individuals, teams, departments and organizations one millimeter beyond yesterday’s tools and today’s professional comfort zones My playbook of cross-functional collaboration, Do YOU Mean Business? is available on Amazon.com. Contact me here.
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