Why is it important to build relationships with clients?

Having a positive relationship with clients is essential for the long-term success of every business. Cultivating a strong connection, based on good communication and trust, can help customers feel connected to your brand. They will feel more secure as a result, leading to greater loyalty, improved retention and more repeat purchases.

Building client relationships is the key to driving your business forward, as feeling connected is important to today’s consumers.

They enjoy engaging with a brand, feeling valued when they have the opportunity to connect.

The whole customer experience has a huge impact on whether they will use your services again. In fact, 73% of people say customer experience is a crucial factor in their future purchasing decisions, according to research by PWC. Using marketing channels to build and develop a connection is central to future success.

Importance of good client relationships

Client-centred companies rely on strong customer relationships to earn repeat business. When you satisfy a client by providing a high-quality product and outstanding customer service, they are also more likely to recommend you to others. Good client relationships, therefore, not only generate repeat business, but they also bring in new customers.

When you have close client relationships, it enables you to understand your target audience better. You can tailor your goals and launch new projects that you know will be of interest.

People engage more easily with companies that they have used successfully in the past. Maintaining this good relationship with established customers should be a key area for your business focus. Clients will become trusted brand advocates who will come back, time after time.

The power of brand familiarity is significant, according to research. In a study of client loyalty, the Secret Life of Search, 82% of participants looking for specific purchases online searched on Google for a brand they had used before or were already familiar with.

The study concluded the importance of brand recognition, brand trust and good marketing was the key to retaining customers. Having a go-to brand in mind already led consumers to look for that specific company from the outset.

Building client relationships tips

Communicating regularly with clients is the cornerstone of building strong relationships. Clients enjoy being heard and feeling like another business values their opinions. The importance of client communication, connections and relationships can’t be underestimated.

People enjoy engaging with a brand and feel valued when there’s an opportunity to connect. When surveys are incorporated into online and social media marketing, especially when they include discount opportunities, clients are already engaged, because they’ve had a memorable experience. This type of interaction can direct clients to products and services they may have been unaware of previously.

In addition, you could actively ask for feedback through post-purchase emails or surveys. This shows you value client opinions, fostering a community feel and leading to further engagement.

Provide an experience that enables the client to be involved in the whole process, rather than just clicking a few buttons. Learning how to build strong client relationships can be challenging, but putting in the extra effort reaps rewards.

Research reveals 86% of clients who feel an “emotional connection” with a brand are likely to continue using the business in the future, while 68% of consumers will recommend a company to a friend if they have received good service.

Cultivating key relationships

Understanding how to build relationships with clients means responding to their needs – and this can include meeting them face-to-face. This is especially relevant if you’re a business providing B2B services, such as marketing or IT services, for example.

When you’re running a campaign for a client, it offers a more personal touch if you provide reports and updates in person around the table, with campaign managers present to pass on the relevant information. Every client has needs and expectations when they’re spending money with your brand, so it’s crucial to share data and knowledge with them to continue earning their trust.

Unfortunately, in every business, it’s not always good news. Communicating bad news to clients is also part of the deal – so how should you approach bad news to a client? The answer is by using tact and reassuring them that they’re in good hands, with the emphasis on finding solutions. It’s usually easier to convince people during one-to-one interactions than if you are communicating virtually.

Studies suggest transparency and trust are achieved quicker and more effectively by communicating in person.

Can coworking help to build client relationships?

Networking through coworking spaces enables more business opportunities.

In a world where meeting people in a professional sense can be challenging, coworking spaces enable you to naturally access numerous people who could either become new clients, or help you build your company in terms of new partnerships.

Networking with fellow coworkers is also a great way of gaining useful knowledge, as starting conversations can lead to receiving valued advice from someone more experienced in business than you are.

Everyone you meet and talk to is potentially a valuable professional contact, as you’re surrounded by opportunities to meet like-minded people and develop great working relationships, combined with the potential to create new business opportunities.

There’s also the chance you’ll meet someone from a different profession or company over a quick coffee, or someone from your own industry simply by taking a break in a communal area. No matter what your business goals, the shared space can help you find new clients, business partners and employees, or help to develop new ideas.

The right workspace, such as Headspace’s Farringdon coworking space, can create an environment brimming with opportunities for SMEs to build their client base and grow. Being based in an inspirational environment where you can enjoy privacy without isolation makes coworking in Farringdon a viable option for growing your business and building close relationships with clients.

 

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