Creative Template
for Webflow
for Webflow
.png)
In the latest episode of the Leaders in Strategy Podcast (Season 4 Episode 2), host Mike Harris interviews Yemi Oluseun, the "LinkedIn Queen" and customer retention expert, about how businesses can achieve transformative growth by focusing on customer retention.
Yemi (Transformation Director at the Change Hive) shares invaluable insights on building lasting client relationships, leveraging social proof, and understanding the customer journey. Here's a breakdown of the key takeaways:
The proverb / mantra that Yemi lives her life by: "All work works."
In other words, any effort yields results, either directly ("working for you") or indirectly ("working on you") by building character, skills, or perseverance, even when immediate success isn't visible.
It emphasises trusting the process and the personal growth that comes from dedication, even in seemingly unproductive periods, reflecting the belief that every effort contributes to a larger outcome.
Yemi emphasises that sustainable business growth stems from strong values and a clear purpose. It's about building roots, even if the fruits aren't immediately apparent. Don't be discouraged by a lack of instant results; listen to the environment, adapt, and keep building.
Mike highlights a critical point: customers are the key to scaling a business. Many business owners get caught up in internal operations and lose sight of the customer's perspective. Remember, no customers, no business!
Yemi introduces her company, The Change Hive, and their focus on helping B2B service companies, particularly Fintechs, grow through retention-led strategies. She identifies three critical areas where businesses often fall short:
Depth of Relationships: Building genuine "know, like, and trust" with existing clients is paramount.
Google Reviews: Many established businesses neglect the power of online reviews, which significantly impact their visibility on Google. Deepening relationships leads to better stories and higher-quality reviews. Good reviews shorten the sales cycle because potential customers arrive pre-sold.
Proactive Referrals: Don't underestimate the power of asking for referrals. Clients are often happy to recommend your services without needing incentives.
Yemi stresses that social proof is the number one converting element on any website. The quickest way to improve a landing page's performance is to add testimonials with people's faces, names, and job titles.
Yemi introduces the "Three C's" framework for scale-ups:
Tech plays a crucial role in defining your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) by providing data to inform decisions. Yemi breaks down the customer journey into six distinct steps:
Track key metrics for each step on a dashboard to identify leaks in the funnel and allocate resources effectively. Understanding client lifetime value helps determine acquisition costs and payback periods.
Yemi shares her top tips for client retention:
Yemi defines strategy as a clear vision with a roadmap, understanding the "why" and "how." Flexibility and experimentation are crucial. The real skill lies in sharpening the vision, having a high-level plan, and the courage to test ideas. Strategy is iterative and should be reviewed quarterly using OKRs (objectives and key results).
Be clear on your values and the impact you want to make. Ask yourself, "Why are you doing this, and why does the world need this?" Align your business mission with the United Nations’ Social Development Goals (UN SDG) to attract mission-aligned talent, especially from younger generations.
Yemi shares strategies that have been effective for The Change Hive:
This podcast episode offers a wealth of actionable advice for businesses looking to scale through customer retention. By focusing on building strong relationships, leveraging social proof, understanding the customer journey, and aligning your business with a clear purpose, you can unlock transformative growth and achieve lasting success.
Don't forget to check out the Leaders In Strategy podcast on YouTube, Spotify, Apple, Amazon, Podbean, Podchaser, LinkedIn, and the Strategus Consulting website. Like, subscribe, and share!
Please let me know your thoughts on this episode. Have you been inspired by Yemi’s advice?
I’m really interested to hear what you have to say. You can message me directly on LinkedIn, which I love receiving your comments there and having great dialogue with you guys. Or you can email me directly on the company email address.
Thank you for joining us today. Hopefully you enjoyed it and you'll return next time for another blog, I'll see you then.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yemioluseun/
Website: https://thechangehive.co/
About the Host
Mike Harris is an experienced business leader and founder & lead consultant at Strategus Consulting. With 40 years of experience, Mike offers a unique opportunity for readers to learn and grow as strategic leaders.
To find out more, visit his website www.strategusconsulting.co.uk
Follow me on LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/mike-harris-095b4775
The Leaders In Strategy Podcast is brought to you by Strategus Consulting, a management consultancy that works with organisations and individuals to achieve their ambitions by focusing on their strategic plans and providing leadership, guidance & support.
Mike Harris is an experienced business leader and founder & lead consultant at Strategus Consulting. With 40 years of experience, Mike offers a unique opportunity for readers to learn and grow as strategic leaders. He is also the host of the Leaders In Strategy Podcast, which can be found on Podbean, Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcast and YouTube.
The Leaders in strategy blog is brought to you by Strategus Consulting, a management consultancy that works with organisations and individuals to achieve their ambitions by focusing on their strategic plans and providing leadership, guidance & support.
