According to Gartner, 80% of your companies future revenue will come from just 20% of your existing customers. Surprised? There are four stages that set the foundation for Inbound Marketing and in this article, we’ll be discussing the importance of the Delight stage in the customer’s journey. Delight meaning to literally please greatly. After all, we are taking our ideal customers through a journey and want that journey to be a memorable one. Think of the Delight stage as the cherry on top to the Inbound Methodology. It’s the stage that builds relationships, the stage that builds more trust, and above all, it’s the stage that will benefit your business in the long run. Although businesses differ, one thing remains the same; customers are the backbone of a business. They are the ones that keep your business, a running business. As you took the ideal buyer persona’s and created valuable content surrounding their needs and wants, then turning those readers into quality leads and eventually into customers, you just created an amazing recipe. There is only one thing missing now; the final touch. One statistic that stood out by The White House Office of Consumer Affairs stating that it costs roughly 6-7x more for businesses to attract a new customer than to retain an existing one. Makes sense right?
If customers are a businesses backbone, then customer service should be implemented correctly and efficiently. This will ensure a stable balance of customer and company happiness. When ensuring proper customer service, you want to cover all your bases with the customer, such as:
When interacting with your customers, every step of the way should be approached with enthusiasm and assurance. This will help ensure a positive relationship and build loyalty for your business. You will be surprised at how valuable word of mouth can be. A business should never underestimate the power of your peers, especially for a smaller business because word of mouth has one of the biggest impacts for a growing company. This is also why Inbound marketing with content is so valuable. You become the voice and advocate for a solution to the communities pains, wants, and needs. In accordance with Hubspot Research, 93% of customers are likely to repeat their purchases with companies that offer great customer service. Customer expectation is a large factor to consider as well when it comes to satisfying their needs. Far too many customers have had their expectations were not met, which then lead to a split or negative feedback with a company. As a business, it’s up to you to set the standard and provide clear communication on how you can help and deliver the desired outcome for the customer. How do you do this? Simple, just talk to them and listen! To reach a personal level with your customers says something about the business, but there needs to be a balance as well. Whether on-boarding new customers, or existing, setting the standard for expectations earlier is the smarter approach and will help clear the air if in case something arises. According to Salesforce, 67% of consumers and 74% of business buyers mention they will pay more for a great customer experience . With customer experience having such value, goes to show the importance of the Delight stage within the Inbound Methodology. Stemming from the word, the purpose of this stage is to delight your audience. Company culture has a large play in this field because how your employees interact with one another may seep into how they act toward their clients. This is why having your departments in sync with one another is vital for a successful company culture. This stage will be relevant for many years moving forward. There are many different ways to delight customers. After all, the information you’ll receive from the feedback will be of value. There are a few resourceful methods to attain proper feedback from your customers, they follow such as:
Delighting an existing customer can be as easy as sending a thank you email with a small promotion tied in. It just takes a little more effort and time to go to the extra length in making sure your existing customers are satisfied with their time and experience utilizing your service. Executing the four stages of the Inbound Methodology can be a lot for a small business to bite on. They’ll need to hire a writer, editor, strategist, web producer, for starters and can become a costly process if not done correctly. We at Responsify have helped many marketing and sales professionals attain quality leads through quality content and turning them into a loyal customer. Now that you have unlocked the fourth and final stage of the Inbound Methodology, it’s time to get out there and become the thought leader your company rightfully deserves. If you would like to learn more about the delight meaning and how you can implement Inbound Marketing for your business so that you can grow and scale your business, feel free to reach out to Responsify today and schedule a free 1-on-1 strategy session with one of our specialists today!