Customer engagement can give small businesses the competitive advantage they need to thrive in an increasingly competitive marketplace. By providing customers excellent service and interacting with them to create brand loyalty and build positive regard, companies can win big. Even better, promotion via customer engagement costs less than many other marketing strategies while laying a foundation for growth. The following strategies can help you promote your company through customer engagement.
Delight Your Customers
Begin your customer engagement effort by pleasing your customers by doing business their way. Your company needs to answer the phone when customers call. If you have a brick and mortar store, your business must have its doors open when customers want to shop. When customers have a problem, your team members should give them all the time and attention needed to make things right. When you deliver what your customers need and want, you give them reasons to spread the word about your company to the people they know. Most of all, delighted customers will call on your business again and again.
Use Your Humanity
People love to do business with people to whom they can relate. When they see the passion your team has for the goods and services you provide, they will connect with your company on a human level that will make them feel safe, secure, and valued. Meaningful contact with your customers on such an intimate level will contribute significantly to your client base and your bottom line.
Engage Social Media
Social media continues attracting millions of users daily, so you can engage your customers on popular social sites. When you establish your presence, avoid trying to sell. Rather, engage your audience by responding to their questions and comments. Build conversations about your goods and services and encourage people to visit your website for more information. Even better, companies that engage customers on social media have a chance to build relationships proven to drive sales higher than companies with a hands-off social strategy.
Focus on Results
Customer engagement efforts must transcend friendly chit chat. Your company should add value to the community – both online and offline – so don’t forget to set goals for your business. An effective customer engagement promotion strategy will add to your bottom line slowly at first, but it will propel your business and your customers toward a mutually good future.
Let Your Customers Drive
Your customer engagement program will promote your company, but you should never lose sight of the most important part of your strategy: your customers. Give your customers the tools they need to communicate, interact, and shop with you and they will come. Don’t forget, however, that your customers have needs that can change with time, so your company must continually adapt to stay relevant and valuable to them.
Use a Multifaceted Approach
Think of customer engagement as a series of experiences, some of which simultaneously occur. Your company must grow accustomed to paying attention to every detail possible at all times, ready to provide service and advice at a drop of a hat. Engaging customers at every level at all times will promote your company and reward it handsomely.
