Long before COVID-19 many businesses were already suffering a debilitating affliction that they were not even aware of. Called ‘client perceived indifference’, symptoms include clients experiencing a sense that their product or service provider doesn’t care much about them. And the cause? Poor client communication.
No business wants to lose one solitary client. This was true before COVID-19 and it’s especially important now as the recovery begins. While you may dispute claims of neglecting your clients, the truth is, it’s irrelevant what you think; it’s what your clients believe that counts.
If your client communication is irregular and fails to indicate what you do and the positive outcomes you create; if it’s all about you, rather than your clients and what they really want to achieve; if it’s complex, highbrow, technical, salesy or insincere… it’s likely your clients (and prospect clients) will feel you don’t care.
Back in 2008, a supply chain expert [1] revealed a range of issues that caused clients to leave their product or service provider. Of those who left, a whopping 68% did so because they felt neglected. That’s not to say they were neglected. They felt neglected.
We know this sounds harsh and we don’t believe for a minute that any business deliberately aims to create a sense of indifference among their clients. Usually, issues relating to clients feeling neglected is a communication problem – either not enough communication or communication that’s neither genuine or relevant. The good news is that client communication issues are relatively easy to fix.
Here are THREE considerations that can help you to plan and implement an effective client communication strategy:
- Put yourself in the shoes of those who are most likely to buy your products and services and create an ideal client profile. It’s important to understand who you are communicating with and what issues or needs they may have in the aftermath of COVID-19.
- Understand their pain points, caused by COVID-19, and proactively offer assistance that genuinely helps your clients achieve what they want or need, rather than trying to sell them on the product or service you want them to buy.
- Indicate or explain how you achieve what they want, and speak (communicate) in a voice that will resonate – language and tone, insight and relevance, outcomes and benefits, values and aspirations.
Knowing who, what and how will enable better communication. However, more importantly, it creates a stronger connection with your clients (and prospective clients) for building trust which is essential for retaining existing ideal clients for the long term, as well as gaining new clients like them.
Strategic client communication is essential for your business recovery as it will enable you to grow and thrive beyond COVID-19 while eliminating any chance of client perceived indifference.
To find out more or if you’d just like to talk through marketing possibilities for your business please give us a call – 07 5477 0197.
[1] https://www.customerthermometer.com/customer-satisfaction/csat-stat-68-percent/
