One of the most important IT marketing skills is the ability to build a successful relationship with your clients. Building rapport with clients will enable you to grow your business at a steady rate through excellent customer service and taking the extra time to get to know each client. Earning confidence and trust with each client will allow you to tailor your services to each client’s needs and make each relationship unique. Consider these four components to build a good relationship with your customers:
Always Do Your Research
Before you contact a potential client, it is always a good idea to do a little research about them as well as their company. For example, view their LinkedIn profile to learn many valuable things about a client, including the schools they attended, previous work experience, and how they present themselves to their peers. Once you contact them, this sort of information can break the ice and help you personalize your pitch, whether it is asking about their alma mater or the specific needs of their company. The more you learn about a potential client before you contact them, the smoother your conversation is, which can be beneficial to both parties.
Ask Good Opening Questions
A great way to begin a conversation is by asking open-ended questions that are easy to answer. For example, “How long have you worked for this company?” or “What is it like working in your industry?” These questions are designed to start conversations that will make it easier to understand your client. Avoid asking routine questions that include anything about the weather or a particular sports team as they have likely been asked these questions multiple times.
Understand When To Talk Switch To Sales
One of the most overlooked IT marketing skills is the ability to transition from casual conversation into an effective sales pitch. It is generally a good idea to spend around five minutes getting to know a potential client before you dive into a sales talk. Of course, each prospect is unique, and you may need to do less or more small talk depending on the client. Whenever you ask a question, it is essential to listen and only transition to the sales pitch whenever the conversation reaches a lull and you feel that the client is ready to get down to business.
Always Ask Follow-Up Questions
The final stage in building a good rapport between a potential client is the ability to ask follow-up questions. Building a successful relationship takes time, and it is important to remember unique details about each client. Taking the extra time to ask questions about how their ski trip went is a great way to connect with clients and demonstrates you care about them individually. Building on these questions will create a solid relationship that is the foundation for a successful business relationship between a client and IT provider.
You should apply this IT marketing skill. Whether you are a brand new IT provider or have been in business for decades, understanding these sales techniques will create a solid relationship that can be built upon for years to come. On the other hand, failure to build a good rapport will make it much more difficult to retain clients and can limit the potential growth of your company. Begin by using these effective marketing techniques today and reap the many benefits of creating a business relationship that relies on the good rapport between you and your client.
