Let’s face it, with all the viable options and a huge selection of companies probably offering the same type of service or product as your business, it is not enough to offer high-quality products and services. They can buy from you (even repeatedly at some point) but if you want your customers to be loyal and remain loyal, you should find ways to engage with your customers in between visits to your business.
Business must strive to have an emotional connection. Research shows that customers give more business to companies they feel emotionally connected to [1]. “When customers believe they are getting more out of a business, they give more to it.”
When a customer trusts you, they advocate for your brand. This is not only immensely important for your business (and also emotionally satisfying), but also cuts out some of the work for you and your team since the customer does some of the heavy liftings in terms of advertising and marketing. There is no better ad than word of mouth. Why do you think celebrity endorsements work so well?
So how can ramp up your customer engagement level? Here are 5 ways:
Ask for direct feedback
With the advent of social media and a gaggle of review sites available for customers to rant or rave about a business, you have zero control over how to handle customer feedback. Encourage your customers to give you direct feedback instead of going straight to social media or a review site. This would be truly instrumental to you and you could have a better handle on the conversation. It is also a chance to personalize your customer engagement.
Respond to online reviews
Most customers will bypass direct feedback, so give them a strong incentive to do so. However, if you can’t, then try to respond to their online comments. Thank those who praise your business or write positive reviews, try to resolve the complaints of those who have given you negative feedback. More than half the time, complaining customers will do business again of you were able to resolve their issues.
Put the spotlight on your customers
Write about event attendees, customer feedback, or feature testimonials. People love hearing/ reading about themselves. They will feel part of the business and will feel more engaged.
Make your business accessible
Make sure your customers can reach you on different channels: social media, email, chat, or good old-fashioned phone calls.
Have a loyalty program in place
Your VIP customers are your biggest asset. “Statistics show that the probability of selling to a current customer is 60-70 percent, while the probability of selling to a new prospect is 5-20 percent [2].”This is how valuable your best customers are. Know them, understand them, reward them.
How does your business take customer engagement to the next level? Share your best practices with us in the comments. Stay humble, hustle hard!
Written by Jaie O. The Help
References:
1. http://news.gallup.com/businessjournal/172637/why-customer-engagement-matters.aspx
2. https://blog.fivestars.com/whats-the-value-of-your-loyal-customers/