Author: Tamara Burkett

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A Missed Opportunity: When Not To Pursue A Prospect

 

There are times in our business when we drop the ball and miss an opportunity.  It’s happened to us all for one reason or another. It’s certainly happened to me, multiple times.

Recently I offered an opportunity to a young entrepreneur I met at a speed networking event. She was experiencing high churn with her customers.

As a massage therapist, she would go above and beyond to please her customers. Offering discounts and special gifts to her first-time customers was a common practice and yet, very few would return for a second visit.

The massage therapist spent a lot of time and energy promoting her business and she wasn’t gaining the momentum and security of serving regular clients.

Ouch!!!

It’s hard work to drum up new business without referrals or word of mouth buzz. And to have to do this work repeatedly month in and month out, well that’s…. hell, pure hell.

As the young lady told her story, I could see the pain in her body language. The way she’d fidget in her seat and the tone of her voice told me her need was urgent.

I shared how I help small business owners with the massage therapist and her posture changed instantly. We both felt the magnetic pull of an opportunity.

She leaned in and asked a few questions as we exchanged contact info.  I responded to the young massage therapist and let her know I’ll follow up with her to schedule a one on one.

No matter how hot the lead may seem, there’s always some (poo emoji) in the game which can turn an easy sale into a non -starter.

Since our meeting happened on a Friday afternoon, I sent and email before the weekend was out.

No response.

I waited a few days, then I called and left a voicemail.

No response

This went on for two weeks. Each time I emailed or left a voice message,

Then one day, I called and she answered the phone.

“Hi, it’s Tamara from the speed networking event from 2 weeks ag……”

“Hey, you’re breaking up and I’m in Walgreens, can I call you back later today?” She cut me off with such precision that I was caught off guard.

“Sure.” I replied.

She hung up right away.

As embarrassed as I felt, I was still determined. I’ll wait until early evening for her call and if she doesn’t call back, I’ll reach out. I waited until early evening and I texted her.

The massage therapist responded to the text with, “Hi, I’m doing well, how are you? I’m sorry but today is my day off.”

WHAT?

Your day off?

It’s a WEDNESDAY!!!  What self-respecting entrepreneur would respond to a business call like that?  All types of thoughts raced through my mind. The old Tamara would have totally flipped and snapped at her, but of course I didn’t.

My reply was, “No worries, have a great evening.”

I quickly searched for her contact information and threw it away. I made sure there was no chance in hell I’d keep trying to connect with her.

The young lady’s response was a red flag that she wasn’t ready to work with me.

Some believe I missed out on a sale and a year ago, I would have continued nurturing her. Yet, I’ve matured as a business owner since then and have realized 2 game changing facts.

  • There are people searching for my services than I can serve.
  • Having a scarcity mentality only produces more scarcity.

Being selective in who we engage with is just as important in business as in our personal lives. I have to evaluate and validate the resources I use if I want to stay in business. It takes valuable resources to convert prospects into clients so qualifying prospects is a necessity.

How do you decide which prospects to pursue and who to drop?

 

 

 

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Choosing The Right CRM: 5 Non-Negotiable Conditions

With so many CRMs on the market today, choosing the right one for your business is an overwhelming task, especially when you don’t have a clue what to look for.

Before you flip heads or tails or take Barbara’s advice on the latest and greatest CRM, take 5 minutes to read this article.

I’ll be glad that you did because it could mean the difference between scaling your business or maintaining status quo.

The right CRM will help you determine who will buy and when, reducing the anxiety and uncertainty of selling. The last thing you want to do is pick a CRM you don’t use or feel trapped in. Avoid the frustrations and expense of choosing the wrong CRM by making sure it meet my 5 non-negotiable conditions.

 1: Review the customer support plan

Purchasing a CRM is a long-term commitment. All the time and effort you put into learning and entering precious customer data takes work so face it; you’re basically putting a ring on it. Should something go wrong with your CRM, who would you contact and how would it be resolved? Some people are perfectly fine with training videos and FAQ blogs. Whatever level of support you’re good with, know what it is and be prepared to walk away from a CRM that doesn’t provide the support you need.

2: Integration capability

 Not every CRM that looks good is good for you! No matter how robust a CRM is, if it doesn’t integrate with other programs run; run fast and don’t look back. CRMs that don’t play nicely with other programs limit your ability to coordinate data with systems you currently use or want to use in the future.  Look for CRMs that can integrate with calendars, email, project management software and Zapier.

3: Mobility

We live in a fast-pace world that requires us to have access to client information while in the field. Some assume all cloud base CRMs have this capability, but you never know. Some systems require that you have a specific web browser, are not mobile responsive, etc. I know it sounds crazy, but you don’t want any surprises so just check to be sure.

 4: Look for a CRM That will scale with your business

If you’re investing in a CRM, find one that can scale with your business. I know entrepreneurs who settle for anything cheap out of convenience then grow increasingly frustrated when they have find something different. There’s a lot of time invested in learning and customizing CRM. Switching to a new system can feel as torturous as getting a divorce!  No matter your budget think long term and take time to date a few CRMs before making the commitment. 

5: Contact management features

If you believe that data entry is a time suck then this step is definitely for you. Data entry and time spent searching for administrative “stuff ” doesn’t add direct value to your business. It’s not a profitable way to spend your time so if disorganization is slowing down your productivity, look for CRMs with features like card scanner, email tracking, follow-up and  reminders. Investing in a CRM that has at least three contact management features will help you organize your business, increase consistency and be more productive.  It’ll reduce distractions so you can work on the projects that matter.

If this blog feels like water in the desert for you, register for my free webinar May 15th!

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What is Customer Relationship Management CRM?

When I started my business, I didn’t know anything about anything. All I knew was that networking was essential to my business success (Not that I knew how to network, but that’s a different story). So I hit up all the free networking events I could. It wasn’t long before I accumulated business cards and had to figure out what to do them.

As the business cards grew, I thought, “Wouldn’t it be great if there was an electronic program I could use to help me sort and track my connections? A program that could help me track sales or something to remind me when to follow up and stay organized?”

As it turns out, there is such a system. It’s called a CRM

CRM is an acronym for Customer Relationship Management. It’s a series of systems companies use to manage their business relationships. These systems are bundled together in one software for your convenience.

Think of your local cable company. They have a series of systems that they bundle together for your entertainment needs. They combine internet, cable and telephone services into one plan for your convenience.

CRMs operate in similar way as they combine multiple systems and house them on 1 platform to help manage your business relationships. Each system is made up of different functions for easier relationship management.

So what systems make up a CRM?

There are four main systems to a CRM. Some software platforms have features from all four, while others have features from two or three systems.   Functions from at least two systems are considered CRMs. I’ll list and briefly explain the four systems.

Contact Management:

Are you looking for a program to track conversations and connections? Do you need software that segments clients, import contacts and delivers newsletters to your people? Contact management systems automate data entry, appointment scheduling, and organize your contacts to deliver personalized communications to your clients. If you’re relationship focused, look for a CRM that specializes in contact management.  These CRMs are usually the least expensive in price.

Conversational Management:

Do you have a team heavily involved with the sales process?  Do you make decisions about clients as a team and need a system that includes an area to house group conversations? A conversation management CRM will include features that create transparency for your team.

Sales and Leads

Are you focused on sales goals? Do you need a way to track sales conversions and pipelines? Project management tools, lead scoring, and close rates are all features you’ll need to meet your goals. Sales and Leads CRMs are great for increasing sales by delivering data analysis and automating your sales process.

Marketing Automation:

Are you focused on sales funnels and email marketing? Maybe you need landing pages and opt-in widgets? Marketing automation CRMs are the most expensive and robust. They are great for increasing your online presence.

CRMs have been around since the 70s and companies use them to scale their business by increasing productivity, streamlining sales, improving client retention, etc. The -ways in which  a CRM can improve business are plentiful. In fact, those who successfully implement a CRM see revenue increases between 16%-1,000% (smallbizcrm)

No matter where you are in your business, using a CRM will drastically improve your business, saving time and increasing revenue.

THANKS FOR READING MY BLOG!
Are you looking for ways to stay top of mind?
Contact Us to discuss your CRM needs!
Or check us out on Facebook at TamaraBurkett

 

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What To Do With The Business Cards You Collect

Your networking efforts paid off handsomely and now you have a collection of business cards. Now what? What do you do with all the business cards you have?

Some entrepreneurs avoid business card pile-up by entering new contacts into their database in a timely manner. Others let new contacts sit their desks for days, growing in mass and invade precious work space.

As disorganization adds to feelings of anxiety and overwhelm, this is the last thing you want to do.

When you do nothing with your new contacts, you forget who you spoke with or why you have their card, the value of the contact is lost and with it possible opportunities.

This happens to all of us at first, but once you know better, you do better.

Getting your contacts organized is the first step in creating a follow-up process that produces consistent revenue.

Whether you hate data entry, or don’t have a CRM, designing a simple process to organize your contacts is possible.

Below is a 5 -step process I use to organize business cards and follow-up with new contacts.

  1. Rank each business card from 1 to 10. (during or immediately after event)

Cards ranked 1-4 are cold leads, there’s little to no connection, or you don’t know how the connection would benefit.  Rankings 5-7 are warm leads, there’s opportunity for collaboration or partnership, or they’re a great connection to someone in your network. Business cards ranked 8-10 are hot leads, great potential for ideal strategic partner, and great connection. Ranking your business cards helps to prioritize your follow up.  It’s important to connect with everyone who gave you a business card but make sure you contact those with high ranking cards first. 

  1. Right a word or phrase to recall the conversation. (during or immediately after event)

This is a common tip because IT WORKS. Write something that will jog your memory when entering notes into your CRM later. Recall information about the conversation as to why you should stay connected. This could be business or personal.

  1. Follow up in 24-48hrs

Send a quick email or voicemail summarizing your encounter and make your request.   Your request could be confirming the next step, asking for a one on one, sending useful information and links, making introductions, etc. Be clear about why you’re contacting them and what want.

  1. Discard business cards of those who don’t respond.

After 3 attempts to connect, if there’s no response, recycle the card. As your CRM is premium real estate, storing dead leads can cost extra time and resources. For instance, CRM systems have plans based on features and the amount of contacts you have, and your SEO rating and be negatively impacted based on email open rates. You can decide on the number of attempts and the frequency of touch points before eliminating contacts but do remove them from your contact list if non-responsive. This will save time and money.

  1. Enter contacts & notes in database/CRM

Once you receive a response, add them to your database/ CRM. Add notes and add tags such as warm list, hot list, etc. Following this method will reduce data entry time and build a high quality database of leads.

THANKS FOR READING MY BLOG!
Are you looking for ways to stay top of mind?
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How To Nurture Your Network

We all know the importance of having a strong network.  In fact, Porter Gale’s famous quote, “your network is your net worth,” sums it up nicely. Yet the problem lies in how to keep the connections going.

Sure, it’s simple to have the first coffee meeting with someone you’ve met from an event, but it’s the structure the first meeting helps determine how the relationship plays outs.

Building your network can be intimidating and awkward initially, and like every new skill, it takes repetition to master. So here is a simple process I use to build and nurture my network.

  1. During your first meeting ask a lot of questions. Being interested in the other person means you’re asking questions about them. Small talk helps to loosen things up and build trust. In fact, small talk is vital to learning what drives your new friend. The personal stuff is what matters to us so asking about family and hobbies do more than build rapport. It’s intel. I’ve had people ask me how they can support me and I rarely ever have a definitive answer, but ask me what are my challenges, and well, I can talk for 5 minutes on that. So think about what information you want to learn about that person and have a few questions on hand in case you freeze up or forget.

Hint: Think F.O.R.D Family, Occupation, Recreation, Dreams. Ask questions from each group.

  1. Clarify your intentions for the one on one meeting. Why do you want to meet this person? Are their clients your ideal clients? Are you interested in making a purchase? Do you have possible referrals for them? If you’re interested in meeting with them to pitch your business and it was not agreed upon, you should rethink your meeting. Networking is about exchanging information, developing contacts, exploring collaborations, etc. It’s not about pitching your products unless the other person agrees. If someone agrees to meet for networking reasons and then wants to hear how you can help them, that’s a sales conversation and should be scheduled for a different time. BOOM! Easy follow-up! Actively listen for how you can help them.We often listen to respond and when this happens, we can’t remember what was said. Active listening help you pick up on nonverbal communications and see the full picture your new friend is painting for you.

Hint: Think of the conversation as time of possession. The goal is to all the other person to talk more than you. If you’re doing the majority of the talking, either you’re pitching, or you turn into a prospect.

  1. Agree on the next steps before parting ways.By the end of your meeting there should be 1 or 2 action items to exchange. This could be an introduction, the start of a collaboration, cross marketing, sending information, becoming accountability partners, etc. If they are interested in hearing more about your solution, the next step is to schedule a discovery meeting/ sales conversation.The next steps should be mutually agreed on and restated before you part ways.

Hint:If you’re being genuine about wanting to help the other person succeed, it’ll come through so don’t worry about being salesy. Just have a desire to help. This alone can add value.

  1. Send an email follow-up/ Thank you card. A super easy way to increase business and strengthen connections with your new friend is sending thank you notes. Yes, it’s old school and I’m sure you’ve heard of this. If you haven’t tried it, or fell off the wagon, YOU’RE MISSING OUT! Sending a personalized thank you via snail mail is uplifting. It also keeps you top of mind, which is what you want. With most advertisement switched to online marketing, most of us only receive bills in the mail. There have been times I sent a thank you notes to new friends and the saw them at an event. They were happy to see me everything time and appreciative of the note. It’s an easy way to build influence in a non-salesy way.  Sending follow up emails is also a common way to keep the connection going, especially to reiterate action steps. You can and should do both.

Hint:Send the follow up email right away then send the thank you note the following week.

  1. Check in with your new friend.Once the first connect happens and action items are completed, it’s time to check in with your new friend. Ask them about a project they’re working on, their latest accomplishment, follow up on an introduction you made, etc. Then share what you’ve been working on. You can send a message via email, LinkedIn, Facebook etc. If you start to wonder about your friend, then that’s a perfect time to check in. If you’re concerned about how often you check in, you can do it once a month. The frequency will vary depending on the relationship and what is being worked on.
  2. If you made several attempts to reached out over a period of time without a response, it’s time to move on. Not everyone you meet with will be a good fit or will be responsive to your communications. It happens to us all. I have a follow up system I use where I reach out 6 to 8 times over 2 months. If I don’t hear from them after the 8th communication, I’ll move their contact to my cold list.I’ll reach out to them less and use different methods to communicate. If they’re still non-responsive after 6 months, I’ll archive them. Whatever your follow-up sequence is, including a cutoff point is essential to keeping your CRM current and functional.   Your CRM is the heart of your business and if it’s cluttered with people who aren’t helping you do business, then your CRM isn’t of much value. Keep your CRM healthy and clean by clearing out those contacts who you’ve haven’t heard from in years.

Hint:Your follow-up system should include 2-3 communication methods. Using email as the only way you contact your people grows stale and sends the message you don’t really care.

THANKS FOR READING MY BLOG!
Are you looking for ways to stay top of mind?
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Character Discernment: How to Find Safe People

Have you ever met someone who seemed fake? They’re charming, funny, and confident. Yet there’s something about them that’s off?

Your intuition waved a huge red flag in your mind’s eye, signaling caution! DO NOT PROCEED!

And what did you do?

You ignored the warning and form a connection with that person to only regret it later.

We’ve all been there.

I’ll be the first to admit of learning the hard way.

Character discernment is like completing an American Ninja Warrior obstacle course. It’s incredibly challenging, but with practice, patience, and self trust, it can be accomplished and very necessary for protecting yourself and your business.

What makes character discernment challenging?

From personally experience and observation, I have uncovered 4 basic truths.

1. Adults have become masters at hiding our true selves from the world. Western society has taught us we must be something more than who we are to belong. The search for belonging and acceptance motivates us to consume things we believe will “fix us”

2. Not trusting yourself.  There have been countless times I trusted others before myself.  Yes, I was naive and yet I didn’t know my own power so I freely gave it away.  How many times have you trusted someone’s word over or your intuition? What about a group of friends, or experts? We naturally look to peers and expert opinions before trusting our own judgement.

3.  We judge others based on qualities outside of character traits. Some of us discern people based on their personality, looks, financial status, ethnicity, etc.  It’s only when we look at character are we truly able to connect with safe people.

4. Allowing emotions to over-ride rational thinking. We buy out of emotion. Marketers know that, sales people know that, and manipulators know that. Being able to pull back those feelings and think things through would save a lot of money and heart-ache.

 How to find safe people

Safe people are those who are trustworthy, reliable, and genuine. They’d never intentionally bring you harm and want the best for you. Finding safe people involves being aware of patterns in behavior and conversation, self-reflection and dealing with your own short comings and sticking to personal boundaries.

 

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Customer Loyalty: What Do Your Customers Really Care About?


Do you know what your customers value the most about your product/service?  Many business owners assume it’s quality, great customer service, or price.

But if you were to ask current clients, their answers may surprise you. Sometimes personal concerns play an important role in buyer’s choices.

Recognizing the full range of both rational and emotional factors behind client purchases and tailoring your communications accordingly, is just as essential to client retention as it is to gaining new clients.

Today’s criteria of  affordability, met expectations, and great service is standard for doing business.

Savvy BOSS LADIES include surveys in their customer support process to know what clients value.

How well are you retaining your clients?

Many entrepreneurs assume 50% client retention rate is great. It’s a good start but you should want more customers to stick around.  Keeping as many clients as possible reduces the time and resources it takes to gain new customers.  An ideal client retention rate of 80% is a target you should aim for.

If you’re not at the 80% mark, focusing your attention on keeping customers would be the easiest and smartest way to grow your business.

Are you nurturing your clients as prospects?

Now tell me this: Who is more likely to purchase high ticket offers—new buyers or existing buyers?

That’s a no-brainer.

If you see your existing buyers also as prospective buyers, and include them to the maximum degree, you will significantly improve the percentage of new business that results.

We often miss this clear and simple, direct route to improving our businesses because we don’t see existing buyers as prospective buyers, only as “past” buyers.

This is absurd and risky.

Making sure clustomers are aware of all the services we provide opens the door for new business. Addressing their individual values such as personal growth, reduced anxiety, and reputation solidifies customer loyalty.

THANKS FOR READING MY BLOG!
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Intuition:Optimize YOUR Brain Power Part 2

As a child, relying on my intuition was second nature. The sun was my watch, I knew what mood my mother was in by the sound of her footsteps, and could smell the rain before it came.

Yet as I grew older, I relied on it less and less.  I educated my intuition away.

Now, as I stare my forties in the eye, it has become a priority to reclaim that powerful relationship with myself I had as a child.

How can I return to the awareness I once had?

First I must understand what I’m reclaiming.

How do you define intuition?

You might define intuition as a gut feeling, or leading with your heart, but it’s much more than that.

Ancient Polynesian navigators were able to map most of the Pacific Ocean without the use of  tools.  They used all five senses to gain knowledge of the waves, clouds and stars. The navigators were able to read the state of the ocean and traveled hundreds of miles on small canoes without getting lost.

Polynesians aren’t the only people to achieve extraordinary accomplishments without the use of tools or technology.  Yet their story reveals 2 fundamental truths:

  1. How we relate to the world builds intuition.
  2. Intuition is an experiential intelligence.

More than 95% of your brain doesn’t use language.  It relies on data collected from your 5 senses. All that information is translated into language and emotions for us to plan and take action. In other words, the majority of our brain is used to relate and understand the world while less than 5% is used to manipulate it.

Yet, we spend the majority of our bran power to manipulate our world.

No wonder we are overstressed, burned out, and in a hurry.

If you want to use more of your brain power, strengthening your intuition is the answer.

How can you become more intuitive?

Building intuition requires being fully aware of your environment and self awareness. Here are 4 daily exercises to improve your 6th sense.

  1. Reflect on your emotional state. Understanding what triggers certain emotions will help to improve self awareness, control reactions, and become more proactive.
  2. Breath deeper. It may sound too simple to be true, but most people take shallow breathes. Breathing deeper will give the body more oxygen, keeping you calm, and relaxed. This will make it much easier to slow down, be observant and notice patterns.
  3. Take in your surroundings. What does it smell, touch, taste, sound, look, feel like today? Asking yourself these questions daily will help you become in tune with yourself, and your environment. Once it becomes a habit, you’ll notice patterns will start to emerge and you’ll be able to tell if something’s off.
  4. Go for a walk. Fresh air does the mind good. Experience beauty of nature and slow down.

Intuition is an internal compass that help us make sense of the world.  It grounds us, keep us safe, and bonds us to each other.  Strengthen your intuition and watch a new world unfold before you!

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Are you looking for ways to stay top of mind?
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Peer Networking: Creating Strategic Alliances

What does Mark Zuckerberg, Issa Rae, & Bill Gates have in common?

I’ll give you a hint: think strategic networking…

That’s right, they all collaborated with their peers to grow their business. When well established companies would not give them the time of day, their peers offered them opportunities.

Horizontal networking is a powerful strategy most business owners over look.

I was certainly guilty of this and questioned this strategy.

What do two entrepreneurs in the same stage of business have to offer each other?

Asking this question opened the flood gates of creative answers and transformed how I network.

Just like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Issa Rae transformed their businesses, you can too.

True BOSS ladies know the value of horizontal networking and use the power of peer groups to grow their business.

Here are my top 5 ways to leverage your peer group.

  1. Honest feedback.  It’s a huge advantage to have a group who’ll test your branding, products, and marketing.  A large company would pay thousands of dollars to a marketing research company for the feedback your peer group would gladly provide for free.
  2. Support.  It’s challenging talking about business to loved ones. Often times, they’re tired of hearing about it, they don’t understand, or it’s boring to them.  No matter if it’s to celebrate or vent, your peer group will understand your victories and pain. They can also help plot your next move.
  3. Project Opportunities. Peers are more willing to include you in proposals  for joint opportunities such as workshops, webinars creations, conferences etc. If your business offers adjacent services/ or products, it’s a win-win situation for you, peers and clients.
  4. Marketing. Marketing opportunities are abundant in peer groups.  Guest blogging, podcast interviews, and event sharing are just a few inexpensive ways peers help one another gain visibility.
  5. Build life-long relationships. Experiencing collective emotional highs and lows build strong, lasting bonds.  It’s amazing fun making money with people you enjoy being with.

Building strategic alliances with your peers can make all the difference in the world when growing your business.

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How to Prevent Clients From Having Buyer’s Remorse

Have you ever had buyer’s remorse?

You know, that sinking feeling of regret after a purchase.

I’ve experienced buyer’s remorse plenty of times and still do from time to time.

That feeling of regret is a red flag signaling you’ve over spent, there’s a lack of value, or little to no trust of the product/service will meet expectations.

As a business owner, buyer’s remorse can be the kiss of death for your business.

Often times, customers hold the business responsible for their negative feelings and this can lead to no repeat business, and bad reviews.

Although buyer’s remorse can be the result of the consumer’s actions or emotional triggers, the business can suffer the backlash.

Take my old man, Ryan and his recent car purchase for instance. Old Betsy, his 12 year old Kia Optima, has been on her last leg for a while. A week ago we found out she needed over $2,000 of repairs.
Instead of sinking more money into fixing Betsy, he decided to get a new-to-you car.

After all was said and done, he paid $100 more in monthly payments for a 4 year old Honda and they gave him less than $500 for Betsy. In addition, his car insurance increased $40 dollars.
Don’t get me wrong, the Honda is a sweet, sleek, sexy thang. It drives better than Old Betsy, it’s safer, and has the latest tech features.

So is the Honda worth the extra $140.00 in monthly payments? Was it what Ryan intended on buying? Was he treated fairly?

All of these questions invaded my mind when Ryan brought the car home.
I wasn’t there when the wheeling and dealing went down and Ryan’s starting to display buyer’s remorse behaviors.

Clearly he went over budget and that’s the core reason he’s feeling regretful.

So what is he doing about it?
For starters, Ryan’s renegotiating his insurance plan.  If it isn’t reduced, he‘ll search for a new insurance provider.
Secondly, he’s driving in silence to listen for any unusual sounds in case there’s a slight chance he could return the Honda.

That’s pretty much it.

If you’re wondering if my old man will make a second purchase from the dealership or refer someone, probably not.

He’s more likely to give a negative review than refer someone and doesn’t even remember the salesperson’s name he worked with.

Ryan’s scenario is so common in business that many entrepreneurs either try to avoid doing business with the “Ryans” in the world or cut ties from them after the purchase. Very few business owners would attempt to satisfy a remorseful customer.

Yet wise BOSS LADIES know customers like my old man have advocate potential. With a few tweaks in customer experience and support, clients like Ryan could be raving fans.

What can you do to avoid buyers remorse & build customer loyalty?

Loyalty begins in the sales cycle.
Educating clients on who you are and how you work is the first step in creating a transparent sales cycle. When you make the unfamiliar familiar for prospects, they know what to expect which builds the first stage of trust.

Putting the relationship before profit by doing right by  your client is another key element in building deep trust and staying top of mind. Of course, this doesn’t mean you should lose revenue serving your client. It does demand consideration when offering your solution.

For example, if the car salesman would have noticed Ryan’s uneasiness and reassured him of making a great decision or offered an alternative, Ryan would’ve came home excited about his hot new car. He would’ve also been appreciative of the salesman’s thoughtfulness.
With one simple act of putting the relationship first, the car salesman could’ve become memorable, increased word of mouth buzz, and received a referral.

How does your business measure up?

What gets measured gets improved.
Do you know your client retention rate? Established companies that focus on customer retention will grow their business faster and more efficiently by tracking their customer retention rate. For a simple way of measuring your client retention rate, try this formula:
E=# of existing customers at the end of given period.
N= # of new customers during given period.
S= # of customers you had at start of period.
Customer Retention Rate(CRR)
CRR= ((L-A)/S) X 100

Knowing your client retention rate will take the guesswork out of growing your business.

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