Regardless of the business you’re in, you either sell a product or a service or both. It goes without saying that you must provide your customers with stellar products and services. But… there’s more to it than that. For instance, many people who buy a product, service or course never finish it. In fact, some don’t even start! (Think gym memberships in January.)
Sure, your marketing and sales engine made the sale, so what do you care whether the customer ever uses it? You’ve got to care! For one thing, you’ve probably invested thousands of hours and millions of dollars creating and marketing your product. Besides the massive investment in time and money, you truly desire to help people solve their most pressing problems.
But if most buyers never take full advantage of your product or service, they won’t get the results you know your product delivers. Their lives will not be improved. And in many cases they may even feel guilty or ashamed. If we care at all about our customers, and future sales (and I’m sure you do), this should bother us!
So What is Customer Success Anyway?
Especially if you’re just starting to build your business or launch a new product, it’s easy to become focused solely on getting the sale. After all, you are a business and a business must make money to remain a viable business.
The success rate of your clients can’t wait until you’re making big bucks. It’s got to be inherent in your business. And even if you’ve been operating for a while, it’s not too late to put these fundamentals into practice.
Customers rate of success in buying is vital for the following reasons:
- Because we care about our customers and want to help them improve their lives.
- Their success is the best marketing for our products and services we could hope for.
- When we give customers what they want and they benefit from it, they come back and bring others with them.
Years ago, I hired a contractor to help me with a home remodeling project. When I engaged this contractor, I’d have to give their sales staff a “10” for their salesmanship! The sales staff were amazing! But after the sale, I had no end of problems with the onsite team that was supposed to be the A-team.
When all was said and done, I’d be generous to give them a “2” for their performance. I was frustrated through the entire process. Because of my experience with that contractor, I’ve discouraged others from using them. You probably have stories like that too.
So, how do we boost our customers’ success rate?
3 Ways to Boost Your Customer Success Rate
- Make it easy for them to succeed. My wife and I recently bought a
kitchen torch for crystalizing the sugar when making creme brulee. The torch
seems to be well-made. I think we received good value for the price. But the
instructions were terrible! It was obvious that a non-English-speaking person
wrote the instructions. We eventually figured out how to fill, light and use
the torch, but the instructions were worthless. The manufacturer did not make
it easy for us to succeed.
To help our customers succeed, we must provide: a clear and simple plan to follow; with small, bite-size pieces; and built-in wins along the way. Don’t complicate what you make simple. Make it easy for your customers to succeed.
- Provide coaching and other tools and resources. Coaching can
come in the form of a video or some other written form in which you share customer
success stories. Depending on the value and impact of your product or service,
you could also offer limited personal coaching. You can do this on a group call
or even one-on-one. This service could even be an upsell.
Recommend and make other tools and resources available for free on your website or through other means. Include them as a “bonus” when they purchase your program. Demonstrate to your clients that you want to help them succeed.
- Build a community of followers. Community offers
built-in accountability. Clients share their wins, and their courage and
success are contagious. They also may share their struggles and the community
rallies around them to encourage them on to success.
Most of the work for building a community seems to be on the front-end. Once it starts going and builds momentum, you’ll find your customers will help each other succeed in ways beyond your ability. People enjoy helping others.
Boost your customers’ success rate by following those three fundamentals. Ensuring that your clients succeed is not only in their best interest, but in yours as well. They experience the benefits your product or service deliver. They become your “raving fans.” They come back for more and bring others with them.
About the Author
Collin Dayley is SVP of Growth and Strategy for One Partners, a leading performance marketing agency with offices in Salt Lake City and Seattle. Learn more about how One Partners can help you build your customer success at www.one-partners.com
