Whether you run a CrossFit gym or a yoga studio, a tutoring center or a circus school, your clients come to you because they want to improve themselves in some way. The journey for each client is a personal one, so they’ll be heavily invested in finding a business that feels like the right fit for them.
Getting new clients and keeping them doesn’t depend on a flashy ad campaign or a big marketing budget. It requires understanding the customer psychology and taking action based on that understanding. There are 5 things to know about clients and how they make their choices.
1. Product Fit
Clients gravitate to businesses that offer what they’re looking for. That’s why it’s important for you to understand who your ideal (most likely to become a client) prospects are, and who they aren’t. This requires more than just a demographic understanding of your clients. You’ll need to figure out why your clients make the decisions they do and what they really care about. With this understanding, you can focus your marketing efforts on people you already know will be interested in what your business offers.
Finding out what your clients want is usually as simple as just asking them. Most people are more than happy to voice their opinions.
2. Service or Product Quality
Clients choose products or services when they perceive a direct benefit for themselves. Make it clear what your business offers and how you help clients reach their goals. Clients who continue to feel supported are much more likely to start or renew their membership.
Clients will consider two questions when judging the quality of a class:
- Am I seeing results?
- Am I having fun?
It’s important to make sure your classes are fun for your clients. It will be tough to motivate them to keep coming back if they aren’t enjoying themselves.
Remember that clients’ values affect their perception of quality. Value is always subjective and relative to the competition, and understanding your clients helps you address this. However, don’t overestimate perception of what a client wants. Remember that the best way to find out what your clients think is to ask them. That way, you can make data-driven business decisions.
3. Client Service Quality
Try to think back to your last negative customer service experience—how did it make you feel about the business? Customer service goes a long way in influencing buying decisions.
Empower staff to delight each client. After all, the staff is the human face of a company. By empowering and training your staff they’ll be able to turn superficial interactions into long-standing relationships, and this is when loyalty blossoms. You should to fully train staff on how to connect with clients as well as on the benefits your business offers.
Bonus: Empowering your staff will help them feel more invested in your business, leading to greater staff retention. See more tips for staff retention.
4. Trusted Opinions
Clients don’t make decisions in a vacuum. They narrow their choices by relying on the knowledge of others to identify the best options. That’s why it’s important to know where your customers look for advice, both online and offline, and make sure your business is there.
Online, potential clients may look to Yelp for recommendations, ask their friends over social media, or rely on search engine results. Offline, formal communities like professional organizations, volunteer groups and even neighborhood associations can be starting points for your business’ marketing efforts.
Leverage your clients as marketing tools by asking them to leave reviews of your business on Yelp or Facebook. Wherever your clients hang out, that’s where you want to be.
5. Differentiators
Companies can differentiate themselves by means such as pricing, location or ease of access. But the best way to differentiate is through shared meaning, or how companies and customers substantially connect. Creating a sense of community within your business will keep clients engaged and coming back.
To find what differentiates your business from your competitors, conduct your own competitive analysis.
Attracting new clients to your business and then retaining them often feels like an impossible task. But new clients are out there, and they want to know about your business. Keep your customer psychology in mind, and you’ll be in good shape to grow your membership.
The Pike13 Perspective