Connecting with the Customer Online

Customer connections keep clients seeking your business products and services

Connecting with customers should be a primary purpose for the sales, marketing, and support teams. Businesses stand and fall on the back of those efforts to connect with and understand customers. The need for connection and communication is clear, but how should you approach it?

Think Outside the Box With Communication

Communication has never been easier, and yet at no time have we ever been so bombarded by communication–think about your inboxes in the morning. Instead, consider vendors like Bonjoro for video emails. Every aspect of life is full of messaging designed to shape opinions and thoughts about brands, products, and any action that might be taken today and in the future.

Don't Use the One-Size-Fits-All Approach

he key to effective communication and connection with potential and current customers is to reach them individually. A one-size-fits-all approach isn’t as effective as understanding the customer. If they want to buy specific products or services, their intentions are clear, and this can be used to their advantage.
Cookie-cutter/scripted communication, or “commercial language,” isn’t always the best approach. Instead, ensure that the customer feels a true, honest connection to your teams and business if you want them to choose you over all others flooding the marketplace.

Always Respond to Customers

One of the best ways to connect with customers is to respond to their concerns, questions, comments, and reviews. Don’t argue with a dissatisfied customer, but never ignore a valid concern, question, or statement. Helpful, friendly responses are the best; remember that others will likely see them. Keep in mind that this is entirely part of a larger concept. Make sure you always connect with customers. The quick and professional correspondence gives them the interaction they desire. This exchange is something the customer will remember, building that connection in their mind between them and the company.

Go Above and Beyond for Them

Part of building a connection with the customer is to do everything possible. People are well aware of how important time and money are, so they notice when resources are devoted to them. These actions set you apart from anyone who didn’t do the same.
A motivated, positive relationship is built upon a willingness to work together. Most importantly, a customer wants to see a willingness to meet their needs, and going the extra distance to ensure satisfaction is crucial both in customer satisfaction and retention. For them, a company that doesn’t just do the bare minimum but makes them feel valued is one worthy of their business.
Don’t waste customers’ insights. Learn and grow from every interaction. These insights will eventually lead you to surprise the customer. The better you understand and go the extra mile for them, the more they will cherish their relationship with the business. So give them what they want before they even realize they want it.

Cultivate Relationships

Establishing a connection with the customer opens doors, but cultivating that relationship is what counts. There are several ways to help this process along. The more effort you put into building and maintaining customer relationships, the more successful you will be.
So, how does a business owner cultivate customer relationships once a connection is made? First of all, never stop learning about them and what they want.
Regular interaction must continue, deepening the ties between the company and the client. When these interactions are rooted in authenticity, these ties strengthen even more. Don’t settle for scripted responses to problems. When possible, personalize as much as possible.
Increase value for the customer, and make it valuable to be a customer. A customer that feels valued can have a massive impact on customer loyalty. Ultimately, that is the most important thing; how the customer views their ongoing relationship. Consider it a “what have you done for me lately” world.

Anticipation

Anticipate what the customer needs based on what is known about them. For example, an agile business anticipating the customer’s wants will stay ahead of the competition.
Finally, don’t make the mistake of focusing on cutting costs. Instead, focus on building revenue and retention. There is an ugly downside to cutting costs. It often comes with a reduction in service, quality, or interaction.

Connect On Social Media

Love it or not, social media is sometimes the best way to stay in contact with customers. It is also a great place to stay on top of current trends and future needs. You want to have a large footprint on social media. The more prevalent the activity is, the more it will impact customer relations.
There are many platforms for social media, but Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube remain the most influential and popular social media outlets. The more you can expand and maintain a presence on these platforms, the better.
An advantage of an active social media presence is the humanization of the brand. The more the brand is associated with living, breathing people, the better it will attract customers and help reduce retention.

Show Appreciation

Customers want to be appreciated and to know that you appreciate them, accomplished in several ways without overstepping privacy.
Offer sales, deals, and special incentives to customers via these platforms. Tell them what you’re doing, how you’re doing it, and what they can expect. Give them a reason to check in on the business. Keep the pages fresh and exciting while giving them benefits they wouldn’t otherwise be able to receive.
An appreciated and connected customer raises the average LTV and improves the return on investment. This building of brand loyalty and reciprocity with the customer is hard to measure, but it improves client retention and client experience immeasurably.

Send Out Surveys

Knowing how we are doing is harder when we don’t have clear, understandable feedback. Having customers fill out a survey is one of the best ways to adapt and modify company behavior and approach new ways to suit current/future customers better. Listen to how customers rate the business.
Use survey results, and reward customers for completing one. We can learn about successes and failures and continue to build and cultivate that all-important connection with the customer.

Bringing The Communication Strategy Together

It is imperative to combine communication approaches with a productive plan to reach out and connect with customers. A strategy that reinforces a client-first approach wins and will lead marketers to find the next best way to communicate with clients. The more streamlined and flexible the strategy, the more effective these efforts will be.

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