What Are the Last Words Your Clients Hear as They Leave?

“Goodbye”, “See ya’ lata”, “Have a good day”…and so on.

What you say matters a lot. What your client hears last matters even more. There is a lot of power and intention in what and how you say your farewell. Take a moment to ponder how you say your goodbyes to your friends and family, perhaps “I love you”, “I am so glad you visited”, “We should do this again”, “See you soon”, and so on. How does this make you feel? Most likely you will be happy and excited to return and see them again (unless the entire interaction was just an “act”, which is possible as well, but that is beyond the point of this conversation).

Imagine yourself leaving your favorite restaurant. Why is it your favorite place to eat? Is it the food, the service, the atmosphere? Whatever the reason is, you always tend to return. Now, try and recall your interaction with the staff as you leave. Do they wave to you and smile, do they say something, or anything else that happens during that interaction? Your interaction may leave you with a feeling, perhaps a feeling of connection, or similar to when you leave a “friend’s house”…You have a connection to your favorite restaurant, people know you, they recognize you and are happy when you come back. Most importantly, when you leave, the feeling of the farewell that you receive is “we look forward to seeing you next time”. They either express that with their actions, or state that outloud.

There is a difference in sending someone off with a simple “goodbye” versus “we look forward to seeing you again”. What is the actual value in this? The dividends that you gain in return to what your client hears last is what matters most when it comes to your client retention. So, next time you say your goodbye, whether it is in-person, or on the phone, make sure you pay attention to what and how you say your last words. Those words have power in what your clients hear.