Arm clients with reasons to keep your service

By Bob Johnson, NAID CEO

In my last two NAIDnotes entries, I discussed why you owe it to your clients to arm them with a justification for why they use your particular service. In the second installment, I explain what that justification should look like. In this third and final entry on the subject, I’ll discuss how to train them. The good news is it is pretty simple.

Working in Office Cubicle — Image by © Royalty-Free/Corbis

Hopefully my last entry got you thinking about what you want your clients to say about your services. Remember, it is your job to create a compelling one- or two-sentence reason that your firm was chosen. As the business owner, it is your primary job to formulate that reason. As I have said before, if you can’t articulate it, you’re in trouble.

Assuming you have developed this defense, or reason, for why they selected your firm, now you need to get it in front of your clients on a regular basis, using as many outlets as possible.

1. When you meet with them to review the business, hand feed it to them. You could also provide the reason to them while at acknowledging them for proper disposal practices with something like the Secure Data Zone Certificate. Hypothetically, you could work your reason right into the certificate you provide.
2. Send them a letter detailing the reason and use it in all correspondence. This correspondence can be a letter you write to welcome them as a new customer, an announcement or a note of appreciation. “Hi Mike, I just wanted to let you know how lucky your firm’s customers and employees are to have someone with your integrity protecting their information. By choosing Bob’s Data Destruction, you have a service that is not only NAID AAA Certified but also provides notarized certificates of destruction and the legally required employee training.”
3. Put the reason in your email signature, service orders and invoices as a tagline. “Bob’s Secure Destruction Services: Providing NAID AAA Certified destruction services and free employee training now required by law.” And, while you’re at it, integrate the message into your social media campaigns.

Remember, making sure your clients can defend why they selected your service is a favor to them. They are the people who look foolish when they do not have a good reason for using your service. Be their hero; give them what they need. It just so happens, it is the best thing you can do for your business too.