When it comes to client retention, there is nothing more important than ensuring that you are respecting them. How do you get people to respect you? It is not all that easy, it may seem. To be honest, respect has to be earned and that axiom holds true even when it comes to retaining clients and customers.
To retain a client, you need to be the first person that comes to their mind when they think about a problem related to your domain. The only way to do this is to prove your worth as an individual or as a company and show to the world that you have what it takes to solve problems and that you can ease off their burdens in your chosen domain. Also, earning respect is not about overt displays of proficiency or authority.
It requires you to be a little more subtle than that. In this article, let us discuss the subtle ways through which you can heighten your respectability among your clients. All these tips are given assuming that you are already good at what you do and that in spite of your efficiency, you still desire to be respected more in your area.
1. Don’t be clingy
People who are clingy usually write back to their clients or call them up if they do not hear from them often. This shows that they lack confidence and probably are insecure as well. Just like a lover can smell insecurity, clients can smell your lack of confidence and insecurity from afar. This is never a good thing. Make sure that you do not bombard your clients with repeated calls or emails if they do not respond to you.
2. Be available
The other kind of people who are not respected are those who seem distant. If you are too distant and do not communicate with your clients often, they will forget you. The axiomatic phrase ‘out of sight, out of mind’ holds good even here. Make sure that you talk about things that are not always related to what you do. This helps to build a relationship and helps you to remain in their minds. They will respect you for the person you are.
3. Don’t be arrogant
The other kind of people that everyone dislikes even if they are good at what they do, are those who are arrogant. Arrogant people think they are being truthful about their accomplishments and end up bragging. However that makes you look like an undesirable person. This will also mean that you will not be respected by your clients and you will probably not figure in their minds when the time comes to get something done.
4. Don’t be pathetic
The other opposite of being arrogant is to be pathetic. Don’t be that person either. Being pathetic is not being humble. A lot of people confuse these two qualities and end up looking or acting pathetic. It is a very bad idea. Ensure that you are confident and in control of whatever you say or do. This will help you to gain respect from your clients instead of acting pathetic. A person that requires respect should not be pitied. When you are looked at with pity or sympathy, you will not be respected.
Finally, be yourself
A lot of people try very hard to be someone that they are not. They do this in order to be respected by others and to show that they can be better people than what others think they are. Ironically, as long as you are yourself and are not trying to be someone, you will be respected.
