Five ways to earn your clients’ trust

How do we stand out as a business owner in today's ever changing world? Earning the trust of your potential clients is critical in establishing a good reputation for your company.

Here are 5 quick and easy ways to earn your clients’ trust:

 Respect their time 
This is a biggie. Realize that your clients’ time is precious, and don’t take up too much of it. This means promptly returning calls and replying to emails, holding fast to estimated call times, and logging on to virtual conferences a few minutes early. Be prepared and make sure you are ready to answer any potential questions. These small gestures go a long way.

Conform to their schedules 
Ask what times are convenient for your clients to talk on the phone. Take their busy schedules into consideration and give them several options when planning meetings or conference calls. Let them take the lead, defer to them and concede more to their instance.

Keep your commitments 
In most circumstances, you will need to keep your clients in the loop while you are doing projects for them. Give them frequent progress updates and make it clear exactly what assistance and input you will need from them. Help them to help you!

Feel their potential fears 
Does your client have any fears or hesitations about the project at hand? Is there any part of the process that you can make easier? It might be as simple as formatting some data. Be sensitive to your clients’ concerns and they will appreciate you even more.

Deliver the unexpected 
Give your clients more than what they expect. For example, don’t just provide your services, show them what you do. Make it a learning experience! Pay attention to your clients’ particular needs and interests so they get the most out of their experience with you. And provide value-added service where you can, without asking for extra compensation.

Written by Robin Richter. Corporate, Event, Trade Show & Golf Tournament Promotional Products: Creative Strategies to Get Your Business Noticed!

Edited by ‘Dele Dele-Olukoju, Marketing Communication strategist, and publisher of the online Marketing Communication Digest. He writes from Lagos, Nigeria.

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