An important goal for any owner of a construction business is to have a steady flow of business. Not only is it important to have a great reputation, but you want your clients to help market you and your business. Businesses that do quality work and make a personal connection with clients tend to get more referrals as well as repeat business.
The ultimate goal for a contractor should be to create lasting relationships with loyal clients who trust you. These loyal clients will honor your relationship by not being wooed by competition. They will trust that you are giving them the best price and service out there.
Once you have a loyal customer base it is much easier to suggest additional projects or services you can assist with. People want to do business with people they know and trust. A good first impressions and a lasting relationship is key if you want to stand out and set yourself apart.
Here are three easy steps to develop loyal customers in the ever growing and competitive construction industry.
- Make Customers Your Priority – Try to make it a point to spend at least one third of your with your customers. Do not under estimate the power of face-to-face interactions as this is how you will be able to build trust and a bond. Relationship building is one of the single most important things you can do retain and gain future business. Some ideas you can try can be raffles, where your customers can win tickets to a sporting event, a free lunch or dinner, or even a free product or service from your business. Something as simple as a free give-away engages the client and encourages multiple interactions.
- Create and Continue a Lasting Relationship – More times than not, after a construction project is completed contact is slowly lost with the client. Ask yourself what is being done to maintain your relationship with your clients? A friendly follow up a few months after completion is always a nice to touch to remind someone that their business is appreciated and they have not been forgotten. You even can try something simple like sending holiday or birthday cards. You may want to consider sending a quick note or email showing recent work you have done to potentially give them ideas for their next project (Hint-Hint).
- Pay Attention and Show You Care – You won the bid, you completed to job, and you’re committed to staying in touch; but how are you going to show your clients how much you care about them as people? One suggestion would be to keep a personal file of your clients and set reminders for important occasions and events. These are not necessarily details that you will find in their paperwork, but the smaller details you picked up in conversation or simple observation. Birthdays, anniversaries, hobbies, favorite plant or flower are always good things to reminder. Are they an animal lover? What is their favorite color? Little details like that can be added to your future interactions for more of a personal touch.
Bonus Tip: Don’t forget, there is nothing better than a hand written note to show your current or potential client that they aren’t just a name on a list.
