If you’re reading my blog, chances are that you’re interested in growing your business. You’re probably an entrepreneur who is forging out there, trying to get control of your business so you can build it to the point where you are making the money that you want to make, using your time how you want, making your own schedule, and doing what you love.
One of the biggest keys to being successful in business is obviously how you deal with your customers……what you offer them, not only when it comes to the products or services you provide, but also the level of customer service you provide.
We’re all familiar with the term “customer service.” It’s a term that we’ve heard over and over, even before we went into business. Most stores have customer service departments. They’re there to make sure you’re getting what you need and want from that store.
But customer service goes far beyond just making sure the customer is getting what they need. When I think about customer service within a store, I think about things like returning an item that I purchased, asking for guidance when trying to find a particular item, or even making a complaint about a less-than-helpful employee (in the best case scenario, if I’m actually making a complaint).
But in the world of marketing online, you must go far beyond that antiquated definition of what customer service really should be.
I like to think of it as being of service to my customers. And if you start thinking of it that way, I think you’ll find that you’re creating an experience for your customer that they’re not likely to forget.
Have you ever heard of Hubspot? They’re a company that focuses on helping you create relationships with your customers so your customers become partners with you in helping you build your business.
When you have customers that are in love with your company and/or products/services, they become your unpaid marketers. They shout from the rooftops because they’re so tickled with you. Hubspot helps you learn how to create those types of relationships with your customers.
They believe that there are 4 stages of customer interaction between your company and your customers. And they are:
- Attract
- Convert
- Close
- Delight
I think that all of us as marketers are familiar with the first three on that list. We all know that we need to get the attention of our target market. We know that we need to entice them to want to do business with us (convert them from a browser to a buyer). And we all know that we don’t make any money unless we’re closing sales.
But I love that Hubspot throws that 4th stage in there. Delight. It’s such a pretty word.
And I believe that it’s the key to turning your customers into your unpaid marketers. You have to delight them. Give them more than they thought they would get. Shock them in some way. Create a memorable experience.
We’ve all been delighted by a company or a product before. I’ve seen people on social media outlets rain down praise for a company because of the way they felt when they did business with that company.
And it challenges me (boy, do I love a good challenge). It challenges me to think outside the box……to think of ways that I can go above and beyond for my customers. And it also serves as a reminder to keep my eye out for other companies that are either delighting me in this way, or publicly getting unsolicited praise from a happy customer.
To what lengths do you go to delight your customers? Do you have any tried and true methods of making sure that you are creating an experience for your customers? How much more successful would your business be if you continually delighted your customers?
By the way, I’m not affiliated with Hubspot in any way. I’m not even a paying customer (yet). But they are a delightful company. How many other companies could I be writing about? Yet I chose Hubspot……because of how they make me feel about their company. How they delight me. It’s a tasty morsel to chew on…….