Engage With Your Customers
There are many different facets that contribute to creating a successful business. You'll need to have good ideas, for starters, and know how to implement your ideas well.
And then there's the matter of customer engagement.
Any business that can create a close connection with their customers will be in a strong position to succeed. It's important to remember, however, that these connections don't just happen: they have to be cultivated.
In this blog post, I'll take a look at some of the most effective ways that you can engage with your customers to create long-lasting connections.
Get To Know Them
Think about all the connections you have, in both a professional and personal sense. None of them will be one-way streets. It's not a connection if all the effort is coming from one side. It should be more equal.
Your customers may know a lot about your business, but what do you know about them? If it's nothing, then it's time to step up. There are ways that you can get to know your customers in broad senses. For example, you can create customer buyer personas; this will give you the basic framework of who your customers are.
You should also work hard to discover what their problems are, where they're trying to get to, and how your company's products or services can help them on their journey.
Tell Your Story
No-one just falls into running a business. There's always a story behind it. This is especially true of small to medium business owners, who typically have a history that overlaps with what they're trying to achieve with their business.
But if you don't tell anyone, then how will they know? You don't have to put your story front and center, but it should be available on your website, for instance.
People like to hear the stories behind the business; in some cases, companies are unable to tell these stories (because they're so large and don't have a 'quaint' story, for example).
But you can, so get it written. You'll find that people are naturally more interested in your business when they understand the people and motivations behind it.
I love the example below from Jeffrey Deckman, a leadership consultant who shares his personal story for clients and viewers alike on his YouTube channel:
Publishing Quality Content to Engage with Your Customers
It's always a good idea to look at what you're providing your customers. There's the products or services that you offer, sure, but the motivations for offering those things may be a little self-serving. After all, you do directly benefit from people purchasing those weeks.
There's nothing with that, of course, but if you're looking to boost the connection between you and your customers, you should look at offering something that is just for them. There's plenty to be said for offering quality content, for example.
Things like blogs, ebooks, podcasts, videos, and other types of content can all help draw customers in to your business. Offering these freebies can also establish your credibility and expertise (providing they're well-produced and high-quality pieces, of course).
Check out Sue-Ann Bubacz from Write Mix For Business podcast about talking business during the C-word: Another example of connecting with her customers via a podcast.
Direct Marketing
You'll spend a lot of time and energy on developing your marketing campaigns, but it's worthwhile taking another look at your marketing, and seeing whether it's really as engaging as it could be. If you're taking a blanket approach, one that's designed to draw in everyone (which isn't possible anyway), then it probably lacks some engagement.
Your generic marketing may work well for people who haven't yet interacted with your business, but may come across as a little cold to your existing customers. For those people, look at using marketing tactics that are a bit more direct.
For example, you could go directly to their phone using ringless voicemail or SMS marketing. Sending emails can also be effective. You already know that they're interested in your business, and that they're further along in their journey with your company than newcomers. For this reason, a deeper and more intimate marketing approach is required.
Ask Their Opinion to Engage With Your Customers
As we mentioned earlier, the relationship between the customer and the company shouldn't just be one-sided. It should be a conversation. And sometimes, that means literally a conversation - as in, you talk directly to your customers to get their opinion
Everyone wants to be heard. Could you ask your existing customers about their experience of your business? Many businesses don't take the time to do this, but it can be deeply rewarding - you might just learn something good or bad about your business that you hadn't thought about before.
By soliciting their opinion, you might just find that you have all the answers for how to proceed in the future.
Social Media Engagement
Social media websites have been amazingly effective for companies. Now, they're able to engage with their customers directly and instantly, about all kinds of issues.
If there's a problem, then the customer can get in touch just by opening up an app and sending your company a message. And it's not just problems, either - you can talk to your customers about anything related to your business.
You could thank others right on social media for sharing your brand like the company Insect Shield did below on Twitter.
Thanks @929NIN for including @insect_shield! https://t.co/80DAyyRIrz
- Insect Shield (@insect_shield) May 18, 2020
Of course, this will only work if you're actively managing your social media sites. It doesn't work if you're no longer publishing content on your sites or checking your messages. It's a good idea to have notifications turned on so that you don't miss anything important.
Don't Take Them For Granted
Finally, remember that you don't have your customers' unconditional support. Any business that takes the support they get from their customers for granted is in a dangerous position. It's just like with any relationship: you can't expect anyone to stick around if you're no longer pulling your weight.
One of the best ways to engage with your customers, therefore, is to keep on striving to be the best that you can be. It sounds a little obvious, or even a little corny, but it is an important pursuit.
It'll help to keep the trust that you've developed with your customers intact.
Lastly How to Engage With Your Customers
Take the tips above, and you'll find that you have no issues when it comes to engaging with your customers, both now and in the future.
I'd love to know below in the comments if you engage with your customers and how you do so today?
