Latest / Limitless Living with Fredricka Davis / 075: 5 Ways to Increase Client Loyalty Without Discounting Your Services

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075: 5 Ways to Increase Client Loyalty Without Discounting Your Services · Limitless Living with Fredricka Davis

• 0:32
  SPEAKER_01: Hello, and welcome back to the Limitless Living Podcast.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_01: I'm a business owner, coach, holistic wellness professional, and the creator of the Sustainable Success Method.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_01: Here on Tuesdays, we talk about building successful, profitable businesses without sacrificing your health, your freedom, and the rest of your life in the process.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_01: So today, what I want to do is talk about how, after over 34 years owning the business I currently have, which is a service-based business, as well as previous service-based businesses, I have learned a thing or two about how a client can genuinely love what you do and still never come back.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_01: And I want you to be more profitable.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_01: I want you to be able to serve the clients the way that you really truly want to serve them, but also be able to thrive and grow and do it all in an authentic giving way.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_01: Here's the thing: why do I say a client can genuinely love what you do and still never come back?
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_01: It's because she may have been really happy with your service, even ecstatic, and maybe even really connected with you, really liked you, and you hit it off.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_01: And maybe she even went out and told someone how wonderful the experience was, how wonderful you were.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_01: But then life got busy for her.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_01: She forgot to rebook, or he forgot to be rebooked.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_01: Same thing for men.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_01: And she just was not sure what she needed next.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_01: Or nobody followed up.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_01: Did you follow up with this person?
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_01: Or maybe another business simply made it easier for her to come to them and continue on her path.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_01: No matter what the service is that we are talking about, whether we are talking about a massage or an auto detailing or a hair appointment or a therapy appointment, it does not matter.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_01: It's the same.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_01: People want easy, they want it to be seamless.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_01: And that's not always easy to do when you are a service-based business, especially if you're a solopreneur or a really small business.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_01: And then before you know it, what happens is the client that came in who really, really genuinely liked you, liked their experience, and you thought you had a connection with and was going to become a loyal client, disappeared.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_01: Now, this is where I think many service business owners misunderstand client loyalty.
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_01: We believe that if we do a good job, we really do a great service, we give them what they want and we care about people and we give them 150%, they will automatically return.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_01: And sometimes that works, but good work by itself does not always create the loyalty.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_01: It is just a fact.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_01: The entire experience surrounding your work and what you did, that matters enormously.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_01: From the moment a person arrives, what they see, what they smell, what they experience when they walk through the door, how they're welcomed, the questions you ask, they all matter.
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_01: Whether she feels remembered matters.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_01: So if she walks in the door the second time and you can't think of her name, you don't want to ask her if she has been here before.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_01: You want to know that ahead of time.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_01: You want to have looked into your, hopefully your system and know that ahead of time.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_01: So depending where you're at in your business with computerization or non-computerization, because I know there's many of you still out there that are not fully automated and computerized, this can really catch somebody up.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_01: Now, the recommendations that you make to her or him when they come in, that client, that matters.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_01: They don't ever want to feel sold.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_01: Everybody wants to buy, but nobody ever wants to feel sold.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_01: So they want really authentic recommendations.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_01: And they want to know how easy it is to get the next appointment scheduled.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_01: All of that matters.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_01: What happens after the client leaves matters.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_01: What kind of follow-up?
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_01: What kind of appointment reminders?
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_01: All these things matter.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_01: So I know it's a lot of things.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_01: Depending on where you're at.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe you've got these in automation, maybe you are not doing any of these yet.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_01: It's okay.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_01: I have clients who have been coming to my business for years.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_01: And when I say years, I mean decades.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_01: I've got several clients I can think of right off the top of my head who have been with me since before I established my own business when I worked for someone else.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm talking four decades.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_01: And that did not happen because I was constantly giving them discounts.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_01: Don't get me wrong, we have a sale here and there.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_01: We offer prepaid package discounts and memberships and things like that.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_01: But that's not why they stayed because you can get a lot of these things a lot of places now.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_01: It used to be just us.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_01: Now you can get a lot of these things a lot of places.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_01: But it happened because I built relationships with them.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_01: My team built relationships with them and we paid attention.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_01: So we continued learning what they needed.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_01: Now, how do you do that?
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_01: You listen, you ask questions and you listen.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_01: And then we helped them understand what we might have that could support them next based on what they needed or wanted, not based on what we wanted them to have.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_01: So today I'm going to give you five practical ways to increase client loyalty without lowering your prices or constantly feeling like you are creating yet another promotion or yet a new service.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_01: The first is going to be to look at the entire client experience, not only the service you provide, but everything.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_01: The client experience begins before the client walks through the door, before they enter the Zoom room, or even begins working simply with you, regardless of how that looks.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_01: It begins with how easily she can find the information she needs, how quickly and warmly someone responds to her, whether your website, social media, phone conversations, booking processes, do they help her feel?
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_01: And I keep saying her, but I know there's this is going to apply to men too, any of your clients.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_01: He or she, are they going to feel confident that they will be in the right place for what it is that they want?
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_01: So that information needs to be conveyed all across the board.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_01: And this can be a bit of a challenge, I will tell you.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_01: Especially with algorithms changing and this and that and Google and oh, you know, it goes on and on and on.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_01: Figuring this out is worth it.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_01: Nothing has to be perfect, but you do want to pay attention to these things.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_01: And then think about the client experience before they even get there.
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_01: What how is your website looking?
• 7:39
  SPEAKER_01: How is your social media looking?
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_01: What's a phone conversation like?
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_01: Is the booking process simple?
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_01: Does it help him or her feel like, hey, this is definitely the place for me?
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_01: That was a piece of cake, that was great.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_01: And it's not always going to be perfect.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_01: I promise you, I'm not coming from a perfect place.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_01: There are moments when you can't get to the phone, the voicemail's going to answer, or you realize, wait a minute, I don't have this on my website.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_01: Or then you realize, wait a minute, my website has too many things on it.
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_01: In fact, I'm doing a whole, as we speak, I'm doing a whole revamping of my wellness center's website and my wellness center's menu and offering to make it simpler for the client.
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_01: We do a ton of things, but as we've grown and done more and more and more, it becomes overwhelming.
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_01: So I tell you all of this because over the years, I have not, I'm not only teaching this, these are things that I have tested, things that I know work or don't work.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_01: And I come back and do this again and again and again, depending on what's going on in my business, what my clients need, and so on.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_01: Now, moving on from that experience, what is it like when your client, he or she arrives?
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_01: At Massage Willness and Beyond, I know I want clients to begin relaxing the moment they approach the door.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_01: So there's pots outside the door that are pleasant to see with flowers in them.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_01: You open the door, you can smell the soft aromatherapy, nothing perfumey.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_01: I was recently, in fact, every Fast Tags place I've ever gone to in my life has had the strongest floral candles burning in a tiny, tiny little space I have ever experienced.
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_01: Or there's one local one that has plugins in every single outlet, I swear, in this building.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_01: And it you just can't get more overbearing, overwhelming, and for somebody with autoimmune disease and asthma, dangerous.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_01: And so there is a perfect example of something not to do.
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_01: I can't even be in the building.
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_01: My husband and I were transferring a title, and I walked in, I said to the woman, I said, You got to tell me where I got to sign because he's gonna do the rest.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_01: I cannot stay in the building and I'll wait in the car.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_01: There's just too much scent.
• 10:16
  SPEAKER_01: And that's just the way it is.
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_01: So that experience prevents me from wanting to go in there.
• 10:22
  SPEAKER_01: This is what I'm talking about.
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_01: So back to massage wellness and beyond.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_01: I'm just giving you some examples here.
• 10:28
  SPEAKER_01: So massage wellness and beyond, and in my wellness center, I want clients to begin relaxing the moment they open that door.
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_01: All right.
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_01: They notice, they they notice the calm, quiet environment, soft nature sounds, or soft jazz, or soft uh relaxing spa kind of music is going on.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_01: So they hear this quiet music.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_01: I have a screen in the waiting room where they can watch waterfalls or birds or something that evokes a sense of peace and something that's related more towards nature.
• 11:08
  SPEAKER_01: The decor flows because the whole purpose is to give them an experience of relaxation.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_01: They, the aromatherapy, again, very light, not floral and pure.
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_01: They sit down, they breathe, they know to have, you know, they can get a cup of tea and relax.
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_01: They can come in and get a cup of tea and relax while they wait and just re and just let go.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_01: And and we have so many clients that come in that just all of a sudden exhale.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_01: You can hear it, it's audible.
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_01: And that's the reaction I want.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_01: Now, I don't know what kind of a service business you have, but that's what you're thinking about.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_01: Like, what is the reaction you want your people to have, your clients, when they walk through the door?
• 11:57
  SPEAKER_01: What is the experience?
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_01: These are the details, and they are not separate from your service.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_01: It's not just about what you offer the person, it's the start to finish.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_01: Do you look professional?
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_01: Does your place look professional?
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_01: Is it clean?
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, all of these different things.
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_01: I could go on and on and on, and it would depend on the type of business you have, which things, but most of those are pretty much across the board, universal for businesses in general, but especially service-based businesses.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_01: And these really are part of the service.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_01: That's what I want to stress.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_01: It's even if you have an on, even if you have an online business, your details with an online business will be different.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_01: And I have an online business as well.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_01: Your client might notice, and and and instead of noticing what how something smells, your client's going to notice how prepared you are.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_01: Do you begin on time?
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_01: Do you convey what you need to calmly and organized and efficiently?
• 13:04
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, will she understand?
• 13:06
  SPEAKER_01: Does she have a good understanding ahead of time of what's going to happen during the session?
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_01: Is it easy to understand?
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_01: Is it easy for her to get the success and the results that you are giving, whether you're, you know, online coaching or whatever it is that you do?
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_01: And will she feel, she or he, feel as though you are fully present with them when you are providing your service?
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_01: Now, if you own a salon, a spa, a wellness center, uh consulting company, coaching business, I mean, I can go on and on, photography businesses, home service businesses, um, auto detailing business, any other service-based business, ask yourself, what does my client experience before she receives the thing she is paying for?
• 14:02
  SPEAKER_01: What does that experience?
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_01: And then what does she experience immediately afterwards?
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_01: So, in our place, of course, immediately afterwards, depending on what they have done, there's often a hot towel for them.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_01: There's water waiting for them when they come out.
• 14:22
  SPEAKER_01: We streamline their booking as much as possible and make it simple, and so on, and so on, and so on.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_01: So, this gives you an idea.
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_01: And, you know, you might be just the best at what you do, but if your schedule and you might be the best at what you do, genuinely the best, but if your scheduling is overly confusing, people won't buck.
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_01: If your communication is inconsistent, people are less likely to be persistent these days.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_01: Everybody wants instant gratification, easy peasy, two clicks on their phone and they're done.
• 15:05
  SPEAKER_01: So all of these things really matter, you know.
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_01: If a client leaves without knowing what happens, if a client leaves without knowing what happens next, without a recommendation, without, and if a client leaves without knowing what happens next, what to expect after whatever you've done for them, or what to expect in your follow-up, or what you are recommending for her next, then you've done a very big injustice to them because whatever they came to you for, chances are you will probably have things that you could recommend that would further them to their goals.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_01: And that overall, and if that's going and if that's happening, maybe you're not rebooking because you're not asking.
• 16:01
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe you're not having people come in for another type of a service that would really complement what they the person is already doing because you didn't recommend it.
• 16:14
  SPEAKER_01: You didn't explain it.
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe you have someone who is coaching with you, but you haven't really fully explained the workshop you're going to have.
• 16:27
  SPEAKER_01: So they're not registered for the workshop, and that might be really the ticket for them to be implementing what you've been teaching them online.
• 16:35
  SPEAKER_01: So I hope as I'm talking about this, it gets a little clearer.
• 16:38
  SPEAKER_01: I really want you to be thinking about this experience.
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_01: And all of these are pieces of it.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_01: And and wherever there's a weak point, you really want to look at that.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_01: Client loyalty is often lost in those little spaces between all between all the action.
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_01: Client loyalty is often client loyalty is often lost in those little spaces that are between the actual services.
• 17:07
  SPEAKER_01: The second way to build client loyalty is to listen closely enough to make the experience personal.
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_01: People want to feel seen and heard.
• 17:21
  SPEAKER_01: I don't care what industry you're in, people want to be seen, to feel like they have been seen and heard.
• 17:29
  SPEAKER_01: That does not mean remembering every single detail about every person entirely from your memory.
• 17:34
  SPEAKER_01: After this many years in business, I can attest, I can assure you that relying on my memory is not a reliable system for that.
• 17:43
  SPEAKER_01: I have to take notes and keep things in my client files, remember who did who went on a cruise and whose husband has cancer and all these other things.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_01: Write things down appropriately, keep them in your CRM.
• 17:56
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, if you're using a CRM, keep them in your booking system in their files if you need to do whatever you need to set reminders to yourself on your phone.
• 18:04
  SPEAKER_01: There's all sorts of ways to do this to help you really stay connected because you're human and it's okay to forget.
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, it happens to me all the time.
• 18:14
  SPEAKER_01: And if I didn't take notes, I wouldn't be able to keep track of things.
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_01: And I really do care.
• 18:20
  SPEAKER_01: I care to keep track of those things for my clients.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_01: I care about my clients deeply, and I'm betting you do too.
• 18:27
  SPEAKER_01: So remember, uh, and then before you see them the next time, you want to review them.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_01: Review them before the appointment.
• 18:37
  SPEAKER_01: And that can make oh and review them before an appointment.
• 18:42
  SPEAKER_01: And write them down.
• 18:47
  SPEAKER_01: Keep the useful client notes however you need to, and make sure that you are reviewing them before the next appointment.
• 18:55
  SPEAKER_01: Remembering the reason the client first came to you, reading what you might have noticed the previous time, or jotting down that they went on a cruise and being able to say to them, hey, how was that Caribbean cruise?
• 19:14
  SPEAKER_01: I couldn't, I can't wait, couldn't wait to have here.
• 19:16
  SPEAKER_01: Do you have any picture?
• 19:17
  SPEAKER_01: I could, I'm excited to hear.
• 19:19
  SPEAKER_01: I hope you had a great time, whatever.
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_01: These are ways for the client to feel like they matter.
• 19:27
  SPEAKER_01: We live in a world that we, and and Lord knows in this world, today's day and age, we all really could use a little feeling like we really matter more off more often than we get.
• 19:39
  SPEAKER_01: And notice how she changes or he changes when you remember things like that.
• 19:44
  SPEAKER_01: And ask what worked after your last visit, your last accession, or uh ask them what worked after the program they went through with you.
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_01: Whatever it is.
• 19:57
  SPEAKER_01: Ask them what they loved most about their clean car after they had it detailed, or and ask what they are dealing with now instead of assuming that they want the exact same thing that they got six months ago from you or the last time they were in.
• 20:26
  SPEAKER_01: That's another thing.
• 20:28
  SPEAKER_01: You really, especially in service-based businesses, want to take a moment.
• 20:31
  SPEAKER_01: It doesn't have to be a long time, but you really want to take a moment to see what worked from the last visit and check in with them about where they are that moment.
• 20:43
  SPEAKER_01: What do they really need?
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_01: Sometimes I find that people will schedule a certain service and they'll come in and then in a conversation, I'll realize wait a minute, this is not what they need.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_01: They actually need this.
• 20:59
  SPEAKER_01: I'll give you, for example, you know, everybody, uh we often have clients, we often have clients come in and they'll book a deep tissue massage.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_01: But then when they get there, either through health reasons or simply a nervous system issue or a guardedness of some sorts where it it's on it's unveiled that there is a lot of cortisol and their bodies on fight or flight.
• 21:25
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, in a moment like that, sometimes a deep tissue is not the best thing because causing more stress while you know, now we we we can scratch all that.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 21:44
  SPEAKER_00: And remember the reason the client first came to you.
• 21:48
  SPEAKER_01: Again, taking these notes and going back and reviewing, viewing them before you see the client can be so helpful.
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_01: And asking them what has worked in the past, what worked on the last visit, what are they dealing with today, instead of assuming that they want exactly the same thing that they received last time, or maybe you've got a regular client who comes in for the same thing over and over and over again.
• 22:14
  SPEAKER_01: It's very easy to get stuck on automatic and not realize that, hey, the client gave you 20 clues that maybe they need a little something different.
• 22:27
  SPEAKER_01: But because you're on such automatic and they've always loved it, they are no longer getting.
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_01: What they need.
• 22:34
  SPEAKER_01: So all these little details matter.
• 22:37
  SPEAKER_01: And the best service providers I know, I don't care what industry we're in, they remain curious.
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_01: They ask questions.
• 22:45
  SPEAKER_01: They notice things and they ask more questions.
• 22:48
  SPEAKER_01: And the biggest key to this is that they listen.
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_01: I can use a massage or a wellness client as an example.
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe they originally came in because they had shoulder tension, but they show up and now they're dealing with poor sleep or a stressful transition or a new health concern.
• 23:06
  SPEAKER_01: So the approach to their wellness is going to shift.
• 23:10
  SPEAKER_01: A coaching client may originally begin wanting help with marketing, but then as you unveil what's really happening, you find out the real problem might be that she's actually outgrown the way her business is operating and needs some new systems and whatever.
• 23:31
  SPEAKER_01: A hairstylist client may ask for the same hairstyle or the same color for years and years, but then maybe her hair starts to thin out or her skin tone starts to change or her lifestyle changes, or even just her preferences have changed, and she wants something new or needs something new and isn't even quite sure what that is yet.
• 23:51
  SPEAKER_01: But because you're on automatic, it doesn't happen.
• 23:55
  SPEAKER_01: So if we stop asking questions because we think we already know the client, the experience can begin to feel really routine.
• 24:03
  SPEAKER_01: And routine is not the same as personal.
• 24:08
  SPEAKER_01: So one of the most powerful questions you can ask is what would make the greatest difference for you right now?
• 24:14
  SPEAKER_01: Or what would make you walk out this door today and say, wow, that was the best session I ever had?
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_01: Or get off the phone call or the Zoom or whatever.
• 24:24
  SPEAKER_01: Then listen to the answer.
• 24:26
  SPEAKER_01: It'll reveal things that you might not have noticed otherwise.
• 24:30
  SPEAKER_01: And I'll caution you, don't just listen long enough to determine what you want to sell.
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_01: Listen for what the person actually needs.
• 24:40
  SPEAKER_01: If you give the people that you see, your clients, online or in person, it doesn't matter, if your motivation is to have their best interest at heart and only recommend to them things that they genuinely want or need, then they will trust you.
• 25:01
  SPEAKER_01: If your motivation is to find a way and ask questions to get the answers and get them to the yes for what you want to sell them, that's very different.
• 25:12
  SPEAKER_01: The third way to increase loyalty is to recommend the next step.
• 25:18
  SPEAKER_01: I've had had team members struggle with this over the years until they just kind of get it right.
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_01: And I have countless, countless clients who are in business in all sorts of businesses, who, and especially women who are uncomfortable with asking for the sale, with asking for what's next, with recommending, because in their mind they don't want to be salesy.
• 25:45
  SPEAKER_01: In their mind, they don't want to be pushy.
• 25:48
  SPEAKER_01: So they provide a service and then they thank the client and they leave her, him or her, to figure out what's next.
• 25:59
  SPEAKER_01: That is a disservice to your client.
• 26:03
  SPEAKER_01: If you are the professional, and they have just come to see you as the professional, paid you for your professional recommendation and skill, they are looking for professional recommendations.
• 26:18
  SPEAKER_01: And if you do not recommend something, they walk out, probably still not knowing.
• 26:23
  SPEAKER_01: And here's the thing maybe you don't even know what to recommend next.
• 26:27
  SPEAKER_01: That is a whole different problem.
• 26:29
  SPEAKER_01: But if you don't know what to recommend next, or you're too afraid to know what to recommend next and you don't, or you know what it is and you don't, how is the client ever supposed to know what's next?
• 26:41
  SPEAKER_01: This is what I call prescriptive selling.
• 26:43
  SPEAKER_01: Prescriptive selling is not about convincing someone to buy something they do not need.
• 26:49
  SPEAKER_01: It is asking questions, listening, using your expertise, and recommending the next reasonable step based on what the client has told you and what you've observed within your professional scope.
• 27:06
  SPEAKER_01: Now, that recommendation might be another appointment.
• 27:09
  SPEAKER_01: It might be as simple as that.
• 27:10
  SPEAKER_01: It might be a different service, it might be a different package, a program, product, resource, or whatever referral to another qualified professional because, again, you're listening for what the client really needs.
• 27:25
  SPEAKER_01: It might also be that she does not need anything else from you right now.
• 27:30
  SPEAKER_01: And honestly, saying that, I've had clients over the years who wanted X, Y, or Z.
• 27:36
  SPEAKER_01: And whether it was a product purchase for, say, skincare or a service, where I have literally said, no, these three things will be great for you, but you really don't need the other two.
• 27:47
  SPEAKER_01: It's overkill.
• 27:49
  SPEAKER_01: Let's see if these work well enough on their own.
• 27:51
  SPEAKER_01: If they're not enough, then we can add them in.
• 27:53
  SPEAKER_01: Now that client is going to trust a recommendation like that because it was honest.
• 27:58
  SPEAKER_01: And this is why I teach my team.
• 28:00
  SPEAKER_01: And you know, it might be a situation where she wants to do more than she needs or buy some things more than she needs, or she wants the next program, even though she's not ready for that just yet.
• 28:13
  SPEAKER_01: And one of the best things you can do is let them know that they're just not ready for that yet, or that you don't need all eight of these products.
• 28:24
  SPEAKER_01: These three will be good enough for your skin.
• 28:27
  SPEAKER_01: Whatever it is, the honesty in that, the authenticity in that, that builds trust.
• 28:34
  SPEAKER_01: It builds immense amounts of trust.
• 28:37
  SPEAKER_01: A good recommendation can sound as simple as based on what you told me today, I think your next best step would be this.
• 28:48
  SPEAKER_01: And that's it.
• 28:49
  SPEAKER_01: Answer it.
• 28:50
  SPEAKER_01: Or you could say, if your goal is to continue improving XYZ, I would recommend that we see you again within the next three weeks.
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_01: That's it.
• 29:01
  SPEAKER_01: You're not pushing, you're not selling.
• 29:04
  SPEAKER_01: Um, another example might be I don't think you need the larger package right now.
• 29:09
  SPEAKER_01: I would begin here and let's do, you know, the next three sessions, we'll do different sessions, see which ones fit your needs the best.
• 29:17
  SPEAKER_01: And then once you figure that out, you can absolutely purchase the bigger package.
• 29:21
  SPEAKER_01: Let's see how you respond.
• 29:23
  SPEAKER_01: No pressure is in any of that.
• 29:25
  SPEAKER_01: Does any of that sound like pressure?
• 29:27
  SPEAKER_01: It's guidance.
• 29:28
  SPEAKER_01: You are helping the client make a more informed decision.
• 29:32
  SPEAKER_01: And when a client trusts your recommendations and she believes that you have her best interest at heart, she or he does not have to begin from zero every time they need support.
• 29:46
  SPEAKER_01: That is part of what creates loyalty.
• 29:49
  SPEAKER_01: The fourth way to increase client loyalty is to follow up while the experience is still fresh.
• 29:55
  SPEAKER_01: Not every client needs a personal phone call after every service, I promise you, because I know I can't do it.
• 30:01
  SPEAKER_01: When I was smaller, I could, as we grew or as there was just more things going on.
• 30:06
  SPEAKER_01: It's it's it's nearly impossible.
• 30:08
  SPEAKER_01: And it's unrealistic for many businesses.
• 30:11
  SPEAKER_01: But there should be some kind of thoughtful continuation, whether it's a simple text or automatic email that goes out and says, Hey, how was your visit?
• 30:19
  SPEAKER_01: Can you give us a rating?
• 30:20
  SPEAKER_01: Give us a review.
• 30:21
  SPEAKER_01: We hope you enjoyed your time here.
• 30:23
  SPEAKER_01: I can't wait to see you next time.
• 30:25
  SPEAKER_01: Even something as simple as that as that can make a big difference in how the client feels afterwards.
• 30:32
  SPEAKER_01: And it could be instructions.
• 30:34
  SPEAKER_01: You could email instructions or resources that maybe you mentioned in your conversation.
• 30:39
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, I will often email somebody later with the name of a book I'm reading, or a doctor I would recommend, or a hairstylist, or whatever that maybe I couldn't think of while we were right there in that moment, or we talked about, and then I want to make sure she had the right resource.
• 30:56
  SPEAKER_01: That's really attention to detail and follow-up and provides connection and makes the person feel cared for.
• 31:07
  SPEAKER_01: So it doesn't have to be overly complicated.
• 31:11
  SPEAKER_01: It can be a simple reminder, even if it's automated by a system that you have your booking in, confirmation that the time is scheduled, and then a reminder for the next appointment.
• 31:21
  SPEAKER_01: That's helpful to people.
• 31:22
  SPEAKER_01: I know it's helpful to me.
• 31:24
  SPEAKER_01: It could be a handwritten note.
• 31:26
  SPEAKER_01: Boy, handwritten notes, we don't get them very often, but for significant milestones, you know, births, uh, retirement, death in the family, uh, bought their first house, whatever it is, you can send a handwritten note.
• 31:42
  SPEAKER_01: That goes a really long way with people.
• 31:45
  SPEAKER_01: Just a simple thank you to say, hey, you've been a client for a really long time, and I enjoy seeing you every time you come in.
• 31:52
  SPEAKER_01: And I just wanted to say that.
• 31:54
  SPEAKER_01: I hope your great your day is beautiful and I can't wait to see you next time.
• 31:57
  SPEAKER_01: That's it.
• 31:58
  SPEAKER_01: It can be very, very simple.
• 32:00
  SPEAKER_01: And it could be remembering to ask about something important to them the next time you see them.
• 32:06
  SPEAKER_01: That's where the notes come in so that you don't forget all these things.
• 32:10
  SPEAKER_01: So follow-up tells the client the relationship did not end the moment the payment went through and that you were only all about the payment.
• 32:19
  SPEAKER_01: So, again, this should be appropriate for your type of business because it can be very different with each type and your professional boundaries within your business.
• 32:29
  SPEAKER_01: And I will say the mistake is really believing that follow-up has to be this big elaborate process because it seems like it's just too much, you do nothing.
• 32:40
  SPEAKER_01: Choose a few important points in the client journey where a thoughtful message or confirmation or something would make a difference.
• 32:50
  SPEAKER_01: Here's a few examples.
• 32:51
  SPEAKER_01: After a first appointment, after a major purchase, after completing a program, when a longtime client has not returned within her normal pattern, when someone mentions a meaningful event or challenge, a short, sincere message can do more for loyalty than another coupon.
• 33:11
  SPEAKER_01: I promise you.
• 33:11
  SPEAKER_01: I've had clients that maybe I see every single uh week or every other week or every three weeks, once a month, or whatever it is, but it's regular.
• 33:19
  SPEAKER_01: And then all of a sudden I don't see them for a month or two.
• 33:22
  SPEAKER_01: And a month you think, oh, something must be going on a month or two.
• 33:25
  SPEAKER_01: And then I reach out and I'm like, hey, is everything okay?
• 33:28
  SPEAKER_01: Just wanted to check in and let you know I'm thinking about you.
• 33:31
  SPEAKER_01: I hope life is treating you well.
• 33:33
  SPEAKER_01: Look forward to seeing you soon.
• 33:34
  SPEAKER_01: That's it.
• 33:35
  SPEAKER_01: And the fifth way is to create systems that make excellent care, simply consistent.
• 33:41
  SPEAKER_01: This may be the least glamorous part, I promise you.
• 33:43
  SPEAKER_01: And I it's definitely something if you're a solopreneur, a small business, it can seem daunting.
• 33:50
  SPEAKER_01: It can seem like just too much and there's not enough time in the day because you're so busy with clients, but it is where many businesses, many good businesses, lose clients.
• 34:00
  SPEAKER_01: I have had this happen over the years, where uh there were just so many hours in the day, and as a single mom and taking care of my aging mom and uh cooking food for a child with 23 food allergies all at the same time as running a business where some of those things had to be sacrificed.
• 34:20
  SPEAKER_01: And I saw the differences with it.
• 34:24
  SPEAKER_01: Fortunately, most of my clients had already been long-term clients and they understood what was happening.
• 34:31
  SPEAKER_01: But even then, I had to reach out here and there to say, hey, I'm so sorry and own it.
• 34:37
  SPEAKER_01: I want you to know I'm thinking about you.
• 34:38
  SPEAKER_01: I meant to call you sooner.
• 34:41
  SPEAKER_01: All of that matters.
• 34:43
  SPEAKER_01: It's all part of the client experience.
• 34:44
  SPEAKER_01: You're human, you will make mistakes, it will not be a perfect process.
• 34:49
  SPEAKER_01: However, looking at all the different areas where you can begin to implement some of these suggestions can really make a big difference in how many of your clients come back, how often they come back, what their spend is, and how loyal they are and how many people they recommend to your business.
• 35:08
  SPEAKER_01: So if your client experience is depending entirely on whether you remember everything or you have extra time or happen to be having a good day or not, it's not yet a reliable client experience.
• 35:23
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 35:23
  SPEAKER_01: And this can be part of growing pains.
• 35:25
  SPEAKER_01: Again, I've gone through this.
• 35:27
  SPEAKER_01: I'm still always looking for ways to do things more consistently.
• 35:31
  SPEAKER_01: So you're going to need a few simple systems and you're going to want to ask yourself some things like how are my new inquiries?
• 35:38
  SPEAKER_01: Do you get emails through a website?
• 35:40
  SPEAKER_01: Do you get appointment requests?
• 35:42
  SPEAKER_01: Do you get business requests?
• 35:43
  SPEAKER_01: How do you answer those?
• 35:45
  SPEAKER_01: What information does a new client receive?
• 35:48
  SPEAKER_01: And if they're not receiving anything, what do they need to receive?
• 35:52
  SPEAKER_01: What does your team need to know before the client arrives?
• 35:56
  SPEAKER_01: Does your team need additional training on the client experience?
• 36:01
  SPEAKER_01: You evaluate it first, you master it, and then teach it.
• 36:05
  SPEAKER_01: How are you documenting the recommendations you're making?
• 36:09
  SPEAKER_01: That makes follow-up a lot easier.
• 36:11
  SPEAKER_01: And you don't want to keep repeating yourself either because you forgot.
• 36:14
  SPEAKER_01: When is the next appointment actually discussed?
• 36:17
  SPEAKER_01: Is it discussed from the beginning to the end or only at the end, or is it not being discussed at all?
• 36:23
  SPEAKER_01: What follow-up is happening or not happening, and who is responsible for it?
• 36:28
  SPEAKER_01: How do you recognize that a regular client has, and how do you, and what do you have in place to notice right away when a regular client has stopped returning?
• 36:41
  SPEAKER_01: How do you keep the experience personal while still creating consistency and being professional?
• 36:49
  SPEAKER_01: And there is a balance there.
• 36:51
  SPEAKER_01: Systems do not have to make a business cold or impersonal either.
• 36:55
  SPEAKER_01: Good systems protect the personal experience all the way around.
• 36:59
  SPEAKER_01: They reduce the number of important things that fall through the cracks, that just get forgotten when the phone is ringing and you know somebody's running late or an employee calls out.
• 37:11
  SPEAKER_01: And I've had all of these happen.
• 37:13
  SPEAKER_01: You try to do six jobs at one time.
• 37:15
  SPEAKER_01: I get it.
• 37:16
  SPEAKER_01: Massage woman's and beyond, we continue looking all the time after all these years.
• 37:22
  SPEAKER_01: I am always looking at these systems because business changes, people change.
• 37:28
  SPEAKER_01: What your clients want can change.
• 37:32
  SPEAKER_01: And it's easy to get into a routine and get a little lazy.
• 37:37
  SPEAKER_01: So these are things that, no matter how long you've been in business, need to be evaluated from time to time.
• 37:44
  SPEAKER_01: And especially with service-based businesses.
• 37:47
  SPEAKER_01: So what worked five years ago may no longer be enough.
• 37:51
  SPEAKER_01: Because I'm going to tell you, what worked five years ago is no longer enough in my businesses.
• 37:55
  SPEAKER_01: And what worked 20 years ago is no longer enough.
• 37:59
  SPEAKER_01: What worked 30 years ago would be a pleasant surprise in today's world because, of course, it was handwritten notes.
• 38:07
  SPEAKER_01: It was that.
• 38:08
  SPEAKER_01: And I don't know about you, but I do not have every system in my business perfected.
• 38:14
  SPEAKER_01: I am not coming from that position.
• 38:16
  SPEAKER_01: I have many systems.
• 38:19
  SPEAKER_01: I am always looking for improving and creating better systems, whether it's adding new ones or streamlining them, but doing things that make my team's life easier, my client experience better, and enhance the overall experience for everyone.
• 38:38
  SPEAKER_01: These are all still things that I look at and think we need to do this better.
• 38:44
  SPEAKER_01: And after 34 years, that does not bother me at all.
• 38:47
  SPEAKER_01: It means I'm paying attention.
• 38:49
  SPEAKER_01: A sustainable, successful business of any kind is not one where it's perfect all the time.
• 38:54
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know that there is such a thing.
• 38:56
  SPEAKER_01: The tighter the ship and the more systems and the more flow and the better training, the better it is.
• 39:02
  SPEAKER_01: However, is perfect really even a thing?
• 39:05
  SPEAKER_01: We all strive for it, but there are a few things that are humanly created that are perfect.
• 39:10
  SPEAKER_01: And I look for things that need to be improved or things that may have slacked off a little bit because I don't want them to become a much larger problem.
• 39:19
  SPEAKER_01: So let me bring all of these five things together.
• 39:23
  SPEAKER_01: First, you're gonna look at the entire client experience from start to finish before they even get to you, before they even have the service or the program or whatever it is.
• 39:34
  SPEAKER_01: Second, you're gonna listen closely enough after asking questions so you can actually make it a personal experience so they get the most out of it.
• 39:44
  SPEAKER_01: Third, you're gonna recommend the next step, whatever that is.
• 39:47
  SPEAKER_01: Fourth, you want to follow up thoughtfully.
• 39:51
  SPEAKER_01: And fifth, create systems that they make good care more consistent.
• 39:58
  SPEAKER_01: And if you haven't noticed here, none of these require that you discount your work.
• 40:05
  SPEAKER_01: In fact, constantly discounting may actually train your clients to wait for the next promotion instead of understanding the value of an ongoing relationship with you, your business, what you provide.
• 40:21
  SPEAKER_01: Real client loyalty grows from trust.
• 40:25
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, the client wants a great service and what they asked for, but trust has to be part of it.
• 40:34
  SPEAKER_01: The client will trust you if they feel like you understand them, if you are honest with them.
• 40:42
  SPEAKER_01: And she'll trust.
• 40:45
  SPEAKER_01: And if that has been established, then when you make recommendations, she will trust that they are based on ways that will help her, not simply ways for you to make money and get more from her.
• 41:01
  SPEAKER_01: And trust is built when a client receives a consistent experience and does not have to feel like they're figuring everything out by themselves.
• 41:12
  SPEAKER_01: Now, before we finish, I want to invite you to take the next step that fits where you are right now.
• 41:17
  SPEAKER_01: If you're interested in growing your business in a way that is more profitable and sustainable without sacrificing your health, your freedom, or the rest of your life, go ahead and visit my website at fredericadavis.com.
• 41:31
  SPEAKER_01: Join the priority list for my next sustainable success accelerator.
• 41:36
  SPEAKER_01: You'll be the first to know when the next program opens.
• 41:39
  SPEAKER_01: And let's back up for a moment.
• 41:41
  SPEAKER_01: If you are feeling outside of your business that maybe your health isn't what you want it to be, maybe your clarity, or you know, maybe you've got some brain fog or you've got sleep issues, or maybe it's your mindset, all of the things, energy, whatever it is, your habits need, a bit of an overhaul.
• 42:02
  SPEAKER_01: If you're feeling like that and a little disconnected and a little run down, I promise you that's affecting your business.
• 42:11
  SPEAKER_01: It's affecting what you can give your business, it's affecting the potential growth of your business and your longevity within that business.
• 42:19
  SPEAKER_01: And that might be the best first place for you to start.
• 42:23
  SPEAKER_01: So if that's something that you think you might want to know more about, head on over to my website at fredericadavis.com because the whole woman reset just opened for registration and it's early registration right now.
• 42:36
  SPEAKER_01: And it starts September 30th.
• 42:39
  SPEAKER_01: When you improve any area personally, it has a trickle effect and it will affect your business in a positive way.
• 42:48
  SPEAKER_01: So when you feel better, you're sleeping better, you think better, you make better decisions.
• 42:52
  SPEAKER_01: So if that's something you need, you need more energy, whatever it is, check that out.
• 42:58
  SPEAKER_01: And this week's Sustainable Success Reset, here is what I want you to choose.
• 43:03
  SPEAKER_01: I just want you to choose one point in your client journey in your business where your client is currently being left to figure out what happens next.
• 43:14
  SPEAKER_01: Do not try to redesign your entire business or do everything all at once.
• 43:19
  SPEAKER_01: Just choose one thing that maybe is a little out of place or maybe it's not there at all, and would improve the client's experience and help them know what to do next.
• 43:31
  SPEAKER_01: It's with your new clients not knowing what to expect before their first appointment.
• 43:35
  SPEAKER_01: Or maybe your clients leaving are not knowing what the next thing to do is because you didn't actually suggest or discuss that with them.
• 43:46
  SPEAKER_01: Or after a first visit, maybe you're lacking follow-up, maybe there is none.
• 43:52
  SPEAKER_01: Or you don't have a way yet in place to notice when one of your good clients actually disappears for whatever reason it happens, life happens.
• 44:04
  SPEAKER_01: Or maybe you have team members or employees that are each handling the same situation differently, and you don't have consistency there or standards in place of expectations.
• 44:20
  SPEAKER_01: Identify one gap and just create one simple little improvement.
• 44:25
  SPEAKER_01: That's your reset for this sustainable success episode.
• 44:30
  SPEAKER_01: Go ahead and write the follow-up message, or create the new client email, or buy some cards and some stamps and be ready to write those handwritten notes if you need to.
• 44:41
  SPEAKER_01: Add the rebooking question to your checkout process and decide when an inactive client should actually hear from you.
• 44:49
  SPEAKER_01: How long will you wait before you reach out to them?
• 44:52
  SPEAKER_01: Give your team the words they need to make a confident recommendation, not a sales pitch, but a recommendation.
• 45:00
  SPEAKER_01: Because one improvement implemented consistently can affect hundreds of future client experiences.
• 45:09
  SPEAKER_01: And that is the difference between having a good idea and building a stronger business.
• 45:15
  SPEAKER_01: And as I end this, if you happen to know another service-based business owner who provides wonderful work but struggles to keep clients coming back again and again, share this episode with her.
• 45:25
  SPEAKER_01: I would love to hear what stood out to you.
• 45:28
  SPEAKER_01: You can connect with me through fredericadavis.com or find me on Facebook or LinkedIn.
• 45:33
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much for spending this time with me today.
• 45:37
  SPEAKER_01: And until next time, be rooted, be resilient, and be limitless.