In business, there are so many ways to communicate with your clients. Phone, chat, email, face to face, Skype or Face-time. There are unwritten rules that will help you to close deals or if you ignore them to lose clients.
It’s good to have a friendly and even kind of personal relationship with your client. After all we are in the hair and beauty business and you are not selling car parts. But never make the mistake to mistake your clients for being your friends. That will always end up in misunderstanding of expectations.
Tips on how to communicate with your clients
No need to write a manual about how to communicate with your clients, but try to memorize the next tips:
Communication by Email
Use professional salutations. When building new relationships, it’s important to keep your initial greetings professional. As such, it’s recommended that you limit the slang and keep it as professional as possible. For example, instead of “Hey Cheryl,” try “Dear Cheryl” in your first email. Be willing to alter as the relationship continues to flourish.
Limit exclamation points, abbreviations and emoticons. Keep the email light but not too light that it’s full of extra marks.
Double-check the subject line and the email recipient. This one is simple. Double-check everything to reduce mistakes! Your friends accept the typo’s in your chat messages. Make sure to double check your professional email communication.
If you chat or communicate with your client by social media, try to avoid typo’s. Read before you press the publish button.
Always be polite, even if the client or other person is making false accusations. First stay polite so you can understand where the remarks of the other person are coming from. Learn from their response and never, ever follow the emotions they use. Remember, if they go low, you go high!
Interpersonal Communication with your clients
Come prepared with talking points. Be sure that you have an aim for every meeting. Do your homework to find out who will be in the room, what their goals are and what you hope to have accomplished. Also, it is smart to come prepared with questions to ask. Not with the goal of dominating the entire meeting, but to show your take this meeting serious. Leave room for others to contribute as well. You have a mutual goal.
Silence all electronic devices. Simple, but very important! It shows you know where your priorities are, now and with the people in the room. They deserve your highest level of attention and devotion.
Be the first
Make sure to be the first when there is a meeting, or appointment. Being early can help you get a variety of things in order such as parking/transportation, menu options and technical issues. This will help you again to focus on the client, instead of working on the technique of the screen or coffee machine.
By doing so you put the client first and you will be rewarded for this by the loyalty of the client.
