The Hidden Advantages of Building Rapport
We don’t often think about the fact that our clients can be our best source of feedback. They also can be our best source of business inspiration to help grow our business.
If you’re not tapping into that somehow then you could become stagnant. How do you tap into your client’s mind? Simple. Survey your past clients.
Maybe you’re scared to survey your past clients? Maybe you have problem clients? I know I have in the past, you may make a wrong decision in accepting someone and that’s ok. We’re only human right. Do your best to weed out problem clients before they arise, as you want to be sure they don’t lead to a bad word of mouth down the road. Maybe you have problem processes in your business. Maybe there’s a point where it falls off the wayside. Your clients can be your best source of understanding of what you can do better to serve them well.
The goal of serving your clients better IS to build rapport, and all you have to do is ask them what they need.
I firmly believe that MANY referrals and rapport is lost due to businesses not staying in touch with their clients at least ONCE every 30 days. Without the opportunity to connect with them throughout their life cycle with you, you’re missing an opportunity to connect on a deeper level, build rapport and drive future sales. What ways can you help build rapport with your clients?
One of the best survey results I’ve ever received came in the form of four words from a previous client. They said, “You didn’t work for us, you worked with us…that was HUGE!” WORK WITH…not for. I want to encourage you to think about the above-mentioned process. Work with your clients, not for your clients. It’s a huge shift in thinking. Let’s look at the last part of the process first. Working FOR your clients. Working for your clients is pretty much the boss-employee relationship and you’re being told what to do.
Is that what you want out of business? Out of life?
Working with your clients is a collaborative partnership. Working with your clients will help you from a collaborative standpoint to understand their needs, to see how you truly can serve them better and what you can do to move your business forward. That’s what it’s all about.