Too many businesses put all their efforts towards optimizing their sales funnels and forget about what comes after a customer makes a purchase. The sale is the beginning of your customer relationship, not its culmination. Continuing to build the relationship can turn a customer from a one-time buyer to a true fan and promoter of your business.
Promoters are more likely to share their positive opinions about your business, either by writing reviews or defending your company against criticism. This good word of mouth will make your business look more credible and trustworthy.
Here are a few excellent strategies you can use to make loyal promoters out of your customers.
Engage with Customers Online
E-commerce shouldn’t be perceived as simply selling products. Customers can buy things anywhere. You’re selling your brand, and for customers to become promoters, they need to love your brand.
When you interact with customers and show them that you value their opinions, your customers will think and speak positively about your brand. This has become easier than ever thanks to how connected the world is online. With your business’s website and social media accounts, you can interact with customers anytime, anywhere.
The way to reach customers is to engage with them directly. Use social media to publish posts that start a conversation, or questions that implore customers to share their opinions. Respond directly to your customers’ comments, tweets, and posts.
Create high-quality content that is useful and informative for your customers. They’ll appreciate that you’re publishing content they can use, and this may lead to them sharing it with their own networks. You’ll have the best results if you publish a diverse mix of content, such as articles, videos, and infographics. This ensures that you can reach different audiences no matter what type of content they prefer.
Set up your website so customers can interact with your business. Reviews, a Q&A page, and live chat options are all effective when it comes to boosting your site’s interactivity.
Hold Events
One of the best ways to spread word of mouth about your business is by setting up events. Not only are events fun, but they also give you a chance to connect one-on-one with your customers.
To get better results, keep your target market in mind during the planning phases. Your customers will enjoy an event even more if it has content that fits their own unique needs and interests.
Your customers can help your brand reach a larger audience more effectively than you could on your own. Facilitate this by encouraging them to talk about the event on social media before it starts, during, and after it ends. To spur more participation, you can offer small product giveaways for anyone who posts or tweets about the event.
Provide First-Class Customer Service
There’s a phrase that goes “one ‘oops’ wipes out a million ‘attaboys’,” and it holds true for customer service. Customer service horror stories can spread in no time, and the White House Office of Consumer Affairs has reported that complaints about a company's customer service have twice as much
You can’t avoid complaints, but you can handle them the right way so each and every one of your customers feels like a priority. Start by genuinely talking with your customers and addressing them by name. A personalized message is much more effective at engaging the recipient and building brand loyalty.
If a customer has an issue, be respectful and empathetic as you take steps to solve it. The more comfortable you make the customer feel, the more likely they are to appreciate your customer service and provide valuable feedback that helps you improve your business.
Always aim to go above and beyond in terms of service. Instead of learning about issues when customers complain, follow up with every customer to make sure they’re satisfied with their purchase.
Offer Freebies and Special Deals
Everyone loves getting something for free. As a final tactic, you can consider sending occasional gifts to your customers. It doesn’t have to be anything major – most customers will perceive anything you send as a nice gesture.
Customer loyalty programs and referral programs are beneficial for your business and build brand loyalty. Loyalty programs lead to more sales and reward customers for shopping with your business. Referral programs help you build a larger customer base while rewarding customers who spread the word about your business.
Unexpected extras, even if it’s something as simple as an email with a discount offer or a personal letter from your CEO, give customers a positive impression of your business. They’re also an easy way to keep your brand on your customers’ minds.
Final Thoughts
Product sales are the lifeblood of your business, but focusing entirely on your sales means you’re only considering short-term goals without seeing the bigger picture. To build a strong brand that continues growing and keeps customers coming back, you need to develop a connection that makes customers want to promote your brand for you. You can connect online through your business’s web presence, and in person with events. Make sure that your business also provides excellent service and the occasional bonus so it’s consistently making your customers happy.
%20(1).png)