Hey [first name], are you personalizing your clients’ experience?

Dear Friend,

Have you ever received an email that started like this? Did it make you want to keep reading?

Personalization is an important tool for client retention. Your clients are much more likely to keep returning to your business if they feel like they belong there. If clients don’t feel like your business is taking care of them, you’re likely to lose them to one of your competitors.

Luckily, there are things you and your staff can do to make your clients feel like family.

Call clients by their name

Writing “Dear Friend” at the top of your email may seem a lot easier than personalizing each message, but it’s far less effective. In fact, a 2013 marketing study found that personalized emails have up to 50% higher engagement rates. That’s a lot of return for something that’s not very hard–any decent email management system will allow you to use personalization tokens (like first name) to automatically fill in your clients’ information.

Using a client’s name is even more important in person. Greeting clients by name when they walk into your business instantly makes them feel welcomed. It helps build community, and that goes a long way towards client retention.

Conduct personalized outreach

Get to know your clients. You’ll feel more like a friend to them if you’re able to recall a few details about their progress or goals. Use this knowledge to offer personalized feedback and praise during classes. Clients who feel supported will be motivated to keep coming back to your business.

Start a loyalty program

Show your clients you appreciate their long-term business. One great way to do this is through a loyalty program. Offer clients benefits for attending a certain number of classes like discounts or merchandise. Here are a few options to consider:

• Offer classes at a lower price for members who purchase class packages. The more classes in the package, the less it costs per class.
• Set a goal for clients to take three classes a week for one month. Offer a reward of free classes or a discount on merchandise.
  
• For every ten classes a client attends, offer them a free class.
  
• Hold special bring-a-friend events, where existing clients can bring a friend along to a class for free.

There are countless ways to build a loyalty program, so do what makes sense for your business. To get your creative juices flowing, here’s an article with even more ideas for building a loyalty program.

Be open to honest feedback

Proactively give clients multiple outlets to provide your business with feedback. Consider an email address or a suggestion box where clients can leave comments. Keep in mind that some clients might want to comment anonymously, so make sure they have a way to do so.

Don’t just collect feedback–listen to it. Your clients are more than happy to tell you what they want. Use that knowledge to provide an experience that delights them. Clients will be loyal to a business that responds to their needs.

Personalization makes your clients feel involved and supported in your business. And you and your staff will be happier too. A community where members feel like friends is one that people will be loyal to.

Pike13 makes it easy to manage client information on its mobile-friendly platform. Access clients information anywhere, from any device. 

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