Does “COVID-19” sound familiar?  It likely does. In recent weeks, we  have been inundated with information on the virus sweeping the globe. Markets, families, and communities are understandably shaken by the current, global pandemic. In an effort to keep the people in their communities safe, many offices are encouraging employees to work from home and some have closed entirely.

The CDC has issued a long list of recommendations to stop the spread of the virus from the easy to implement (washing your hands regularly) to the more difficult to embrace like avoiding crowded areas or gatherings with more than 50 people. Another recommendation from experts is distancing oneself from others for the foreseeable future. It’s awfully hard to do a sales call and stay 6 feet away from someone, so what does this mean for a sales professional? How can you sell while working to keep your community safe?

Reach Out for Retention

Since in-person interaction is not an easy option right now and since the market is less than amenable towards new sales contracts, the best approach to stay productive during this period of “social distancing” may be to focus on existing customers. Reach out and check on how your customers are doing with their own social distancing efforts, how they’re enjoying your product or service, and whether or not there’s anything you can do to help.

Studies show that retention is critically important for continued business success. Though maintaining a strong customer base may not be as exciting as closing a big deal, you’ve likely heard that it’s 5 times more expensive to attract new customers than it is to just keep the customers you already have. (Source). This means that keeping customers happy can really help a company’s or salesperson’s profitability.

Offer Value When You Reach Out

It’s nice to call and check in, but it’s powerful to reach out and offer something of value to customers. A CardTapp app does just that. Give your customers the ability to connect with you 24/7, to access valuable tools and resources, and to review valuable articles, white papers, or videos that you curate for them based on questions or requests you frequently receive.

Take advantage of current industry trends. For example, professionals in the mortgage industry could capitalize on historically low rates by highlighting our app’s mortgage calculator for refinancing or adding a button that links to an application or refinance request form. This makes it easier for the customer, giving them constant access to valuable services and saves the lender valuable time.

Don’t Let Social Distancing Get You Down

Don’t let being cooped up inside keep you from being productive.  Stop the binge-watching and start planning your customer retention strategy today. Don’t have a valuable digital business card to share? Contact us for pricing, or check out some tips on how to customize your existing app.