Look Forward by Looking Back to Your Most Loyal

In a recent post we discussed making the most of existing customer reference content.  With a similar mindset, let’s talk about the customers themselves.  If you are running an effective program and avoid burning out your customers, it’s not uncommon to establish long term customer reference relationships. 

These customers that have been with you a while require a few extra considerations so you can continue to maximize the value of their ongoing contribution:

• Keep it Relevant    Take the time to really understand how your customer is using your solution today and what’s happened in their environment recently.  It’s too easy to presume their good stories will continue to be of interest to new prospects when in fact things may have changed on their side or yours.  Take the time to determine if their message is still on target and if possible, help them understand the talking points that are important to your current prospects’ needs and selling situations.

• Go For The ROI    Customers are often recruited into reference programs way before any return on investment (ROI) has been materialized.  Those that remain loyal customers are most likely to have achieved the most real value from your solution, but it’s not unusual to forget to go back and ask again.  Take the time to work with them to explore further than you have in the past.

• Find New Faces    Don’t be afraid to ask who else might have stories to tell.  We always recommend trying to find multiple contacts within each customer reference site, but that request gets easier as the relationship matures.  Asking your loyal customer to vouch for how easy it is to be a reference for your company can make all the difference in recruiting others that may have new perspectives and new stories to share.

One of the most important reasons to run a formal reference program is to increase the tenure of customers who agree to be references.  Take the few extra steps needed to ensure they continue to add value long term.