Long gone are the days when the relationship between a service provider and a customer was purely transactional. Now it is conversational. Businesses that want to set themselves up for long-term success must be open to communicating with customers regularly. This includes asking for feedback.
Getting and staying in touch has never been easier. There are so many channels you can choose from to keep the conversation going and avoid the engagement gap.
Perceive a Customer As a Business Partner
Customer preferences change; that’s the constant. The sooner you acknowledge the importance of customer engagement in service production, the sooner and longer you’ll see success in its distribution.
Keep Them Informed
Whether you are a B2B or a B2C business, the key to staying relevant in the market is not only in attracting but also in keeping customers. And to achieve that, you must constantly work on improving your product – and make sure people are aware of it.
When a customer is satisfied with a product or a service, they want to use it for as long as possible. However, when the current version no longer meets their needs and preferences, they might start looking for alternatives.
Such a scenario can be avoided by keeping your customers continually updated. You can create social media posts, send emails, or direct messages. Whatever channels work best for you. Keep your customers interested by informing them why the updates you are working on are worth their time and attention.
Customers like continuity, but they also like to be involved. After all, your product or service is part of their day-to-day, and they’ll be excited about its improvements and how they might positively impact their life.
Care About What Your Customers Think
Aside from giving information, ask for it. There’s no better way to improve your offering than to center it around customers’ impressions and experiences. Create a feedback loop. This concept helps you gather, analyse, and act on customer data.
Consider two practices for collecting feedback. One is to create surveys and send them via email to your customers. The second is a one-on-one interaction, be it through direct messages or phone calls. Make these regular and done in collaboration with customer support.
You can also ask customers to share their thoughts on social media in the comment section. Aside from increasing engagement and initiating conversation while building a community, commenting on posts increases their visibility and reach.
Offer Unique Deals
People like gifts. It’s a simple and proven method of keeping customers engaged. Discounts, special deals, early access to offers – whatever you choose will bring results. People use your product because of its quality, but they don’t look for alternatives when they feel appreciated for making you their number one choice.
SMS: Back to Basics
All of us who thought that the growth of technology and the rise of one social media platform after another would simply bury SMS must admit how wrong we were. SMS is not here to stay; it never left. The clutter that social media often produces makes it an effective, straightforward tool with significant business potential.
Here’s why businesses of all sizes should consider SMS marketing as part of their overall communication strategy and continued customer engagement.
Short and Direct
SMS only allows 160 characters, so the information sent must be concise yet detailed. As we are all constantly in a rush, receiving a direct, succinct message is an effective way to acquire information regarding the products and services being used. Such information is easier to process and makes it easier to decide on the next move.
The Personal Touch
Although we got used to social media, not to mention email, SMS feels like the most personal of the communication channels. The internet makes it possible to connect with whomever you want and take part in numerous group chats.
While that could be convenient and fun, a one-on-one interaction creates more meaningful connections. Using SMS as a communication tool helps build trust and loyalty while maintaining high levels of transparency and professionalism in the conversation.
A Valuable Addition
SMS was revolutionary in its time and still meets its purpose, especially now in a mobile-first world. Smartphones have become the number one tool in personal and professional correspondence and for getting work done. Still, you don’t have to ditch other communication channels.
Marketing is seldom about either-or situations. It is all about testing, trying, mixing, and finding the best solution. This is clear in the omnichannel approach, where businesses are advised to leverage as many channels as possible to reach the majority of their customer base.
Keeping customers engaged increases their satisfaction and loyalty, helping you improve your offer accordingly. It also shows you are not a faceless organization, and that the customer is more than an account, strengthening your connection and making it last.
