You do not get clients overnight, not even if you sell online. Because you sell an experience and no box of soap, your clients want to be sure they can trust you and your products.
For this it is, for both online as real life hair extensions shops or stylist, very important to first start to build a relationship. You will only get clients if you work both on the relationship and on the communication. For this, to follow somebody on twitter will not turn her into a client, you really have to interact, the same goes for real life
Before you start to interact with your potential client, you have to decide what your communication style will be, informal or formal. Like friends from the neighborhood or at a certain distance. This is part of the type of shop you want to be, so make sure it is part of your unique selling point and if you choose a way of communicating with your clients, stay consistent.
Why would you invest time in building a relationship and to communicate, because you want to know the needs of your client and to be able to enhance and or exceed their expectations. If you follow the following three steps it will be more easier for you to find the needs of your client and to fine tune these needs in line with your product offering.
Step One is to catch the attention
First of all, and that´s the most difficult, so also the most rewarding part, is to capture the clients attention. You can get their attention in real life if they have a question, if they are interested in new items, or if there is an interesting sale or promotion to talk about.
Make sure you feel at ease to connect the client, and try to get some contact details, if you do not have the contact online. Try to get his or her name, and practice to remember this, for later use, at the end of the conversation or if you meet them later again. A good help for this is to ask for her name and to repeat this directly out loud. Be open and ask if she would like to be contacted later and if she would mind to share her phone number. Ensure the conversation is not forced and remains natural and flowing. Consider to have a closing sentence in which you announce to call her with your Cell Phone
later, if she does not mind.
The second step is to reconnect
Now you made the first contact it is important to build your credibility and the customers trust in you.
Try to surprise the client is a positive way, so under promise and over deliver.
Try to find some reasons to reconnect with your client, for example if she told you she would go to a party, ask her about the party. Make sure you select a good time, if you call the client when she is busy it is even more difficulty to call again. You do not want to look desperate for contact. Try to avoid you overwhelm or annoy your client. When it comes to re-connecting, your closing sentence is key, you´ll avoid your clients to be surprised you contact them.
The last step is to match the client needs with your product offer
Now you have reconnected your client, you can feel more comfortable with the client. Make sure to keep the conversation going, and ask the client for feedback. This will enhance your insight in the needs of the client and the better you will be able to fine tune your product or service offering.
Although clients may not always be friendly or want to take advantage of what you are calling for, but with regular contact you are influencing them and they will think of you when they are in need of some extensions or other products and services you offer.
If you want to read more about how to close more deals by gaining the trust of your clients, try the kindle book How To Get Instant Trust, Influence and Rapport from Clive Calvin.
