This is a guest post from Thomas Warren

Branding yourself as an expert is no easy feat.

You need to be secure in your abilities to deliver what you promise, create an interface for prospective clients to take advantage of your services, and offer some proof that you are what you say you are. However, if you can manage to do all of this, it will prove invaluable not only for your potential to bring in business, but to ensure that your clientele comes back again and again.

There are many things to consider when setting out to brand yourself as an expert. If you are, in fact, an expert (you hold the proper credentials in your field or have relevant work experience) you are in a better position to start. If, however, you cannot rightfully claim the title, you may have a harder time.

You really don’t want to shoot yourself in the foot and risk losing long-term clients by making claims you can’t possibly uphold, so perhaps it’s better to label yourself an enthusiast or entrepreneur until you can justify a more prestigious moniker. That said, if you feel that you excel in your field and can contend with your competitors at the highest level, you will need a ringing endorsement to convince the community at large that you are what you say you are.

From there, you have to bring in some business. Here’s where you can get into some trouble. Most people feel that a flashy website and a lot of traffic equals dollar signs. Not so.

First of all, you need to tailor your website to your clients. That means figuring out who they are (because in case you didn’t know, not every housewife with a laptop is in need of your services). If you’re selling life insurance, for example, you don’t want a website that features testimonials from Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga, which will not appeal to the middle-aged demographic you’re shooting for. So make an effort to know your customers (they will appreciate it and it will reflect on your sales).

In addition, you need to target your marketing efforts. Would you rather host a thousand random visitors or ten that are specifically seeking your service?

You can’t effectively deal with your real customers if you spend all day fending off inquiries from parties that aren’t really interested. To that end, there are many ways to ensure that when a prospective customer comes looking for you, you can be found.

Continued education is a great way to stay abreast of the latest trends in internet marketing and use them to reach out to future clients.

However, the most important aspect of branding yourself as an expert is follow-through.

Potential customers want assurance that the product or service they’re paying for is real. Branding yourself as an expert is no good at all if you can’t deliver the goods. And if your service is specialized (as is necessary when starting out), you’re going to need repeat business to stay afloat. So do not disappoint your clients! It’s going to be hard enough bringing business in without alienating those who do use your service.

Remember that word of mouth can make you or break you more surely than any technical SNAFU. So make the needs of your customers your first priority, provide excellent service, and do whatever you have to in order to ensure repeat business. This, more than anything, will take your brand to the next level.

Thomas Warren is a content writer for GoCollege, one of the oldest and most trusted resources to guide students on how to finance and succeed in college.

There is a word that can break through the noise and distractions of the world and reach your customer.

The most important word to a customer is that person’s name.

From the time we are little, we are trained to respond to our name. It is so powerful that even if we have a common name (like Joe), we instinctively turn around whenever we hear it called.

This week when I went to the gym, the clerk greeted me by name even before I handed him my membership card. I was so impressed that I actually mentioned it to my wife.

Think about the opportunities you have to greet your customers by name.

If you see them in-person, you should always use their name in the greeting and conversation.

On the phone, you can use a customer’s name not just in the greeting, but during the call, and as you say goodbye.

Don’t be lazy in your emails. Don’t just jump into the message. Start with a proper salutation and use the person’s name.

In your automated email newsletters, most software that handles these can automatically include the customer’s name not just as a salutation but also in the email message itself. Although I am used to seeing these, they still catch me off guard because after all, it is my name.

Be careful with using customer’s names incorrectly. Misspellings, mispronunciations, or even calling someone by the wrong nickname can really aggravate some customers.

When in doubt on how to spell or say a name, just ask. Most people are not offended when you sincerely ask about their name.

What are some other ways you could use your customer’s name to build relationships with them and help close the sale?

This is a guest post from Louise Baker.

Finding a customer is often easy. Keeping them is the harder part. You must always strive to provide excellent customer service if you want your clients to come back to you again in the future. Yet, it may be hard to figure out exactly how to do this. Each client has their own likes and dislikes so it can be hard to accommodate everyone. There are five easy things you can do to wow your customers and have them returning to you again and again.

1. Greet every customer by name and remember them when they visit again. Each client is an individual and you need to treat them as such. If your business does not offer a service in which you would take the customer’s name at the beginning of the interaction, be sure to use it if they pay by credit or debit card. This personalizes the relationship. You may also ask them to fill out a client card so you can contact them with sales and new merchandise alerts. This is an easy way to get their name, phone number, e-mail address and preferences. When they return again, try to call them by their name as it will impress them that you care enough to remember who they are.

2. Follow through with your customers after they visit. Send a thank you card or just give them a call to see how their service was. They will appreciate this and remember that you valued their opinion.

3. If an issue does arise, strive for a quick resolution. Find something you can do to resolve the problem quickly and to their satisfaction. It may be an exchange or return or it may be just listening to their concerns. Make sure you adjust for each situation. One resolution may not work for every customer and you need to bear this in mind.

4. Strive for employee retention. Nothing is better than returning to a company you are satisfied with only to find that the employee who was so helpful is still there. This will also save you on training costs. The longer an employee is with a company, the more they will learn and can pass on to your customers.

5. Always look to improve. If a customer asks for something you don’t carry, offer to get it for them. Pick their brain to see exactly what they are looking for that you don’t offer. If it works with your other merchandise, start carrying it. This will show that you value the opinions of your customers and are willing to adjust to accommodate their needs.

By following these five simple steps to wow your customers, you will see your customer turnover rate decrease. A satisfied customer is one who will not only return again and again, but also one who will pass on your name to others. Word-of-mouth advertising is free and can be a great way to grow your business.

Louise Baker writes for Zen College Life, the directory of higher education, distance learning and online schools. She most recently wrote about the best colleges online.