Building stronger relationships with customers can help a business grow and develop faster than expected. Introducing your brand to a bigger audience should be one of your priorities, but maintaining the connection with existing customers needs to be a top priority. After all, they are the best brand ambassadors you can have.
Today, people see brands as a part of their everyday lives. But even if you offer exquisite products and services, lazy communication and a lack of care could make people ignore your brand altogether. If you treat your customers as friends, chances are they are in for the long ride.
Here is how to build long-lasting relationships with your customers:
1. Get to know your customers
Social media opened so many opportunities to businesses of all sizes, regardless of their location. It is the perfect place to get to know your customers and learn about their everyday lives and needs. Furthermore, social media can help you build strong relationships with the audience. And how do you do that? The answer is communication!
The world of social media is fast-paced, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore the questions and comments you receive from your followers. Instead, look at what large companies are doing on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, etc. For instance, Spotify, one of the leading streaming services, is active on Twitter. The person running the profile is always there to communicate with the followers. Their social media customer service even won awards a few years back!
2. Create a trusting relationship
Building a trusting relationship with your customers can do wonders for your brand in the long run. Concerto Marketing Group and Research Now survey discovered that 83% of customers would recommend a brand they trust to someone else. Furthermore, 82% of customers continue to use a brand after the suggestion.
Start by asking your customers for reviews or comments. It is the perfect way to show your audience you are listening to them and their needs. If you get a negative review by some chance, don’t panic and remove the said comment. No brand is perfect, and that review will make your business look more authentic.
View your customers as old friends. It means your customer support should be on point. Whether they contact you via social media or email, respond to them in time and with the best solution. Finally, make sure your customers are rewarded in some way. Launching a loyalty program is a stellar idea. Include discounts, free samples, and gifts with their orders. You can make someone’s day with just a tiny act of kindness!
3. Improve the customer support
Everyone knows how frustrating unresponsive customer support can be. Having an open line of communication with your customers is of the essence. It is not uncommon to hear that people gave up on a brand thanks to a rude or unhelpful customer support experience.
Your customer support team should treat every customer interaction individually. It means learning about the problem and doing your best to solve it. Furthermore, language is a significant part of the customer support interaction. Remember to remain positive and even add personal touches to the conversation.
4. Send fantastic emails
Believe it or not, newsletters are still one of the best ways to build relationships with customers. However, you should make your emails stand out. Understanding your audience and their interest in the brand is an excellent starting point. Remember that your email will reach real people who want to make a connection with your brand. After all, they signed up for the mailing list.
Don’t contact your customers only when you have a sale or a product launch. Reach out to them and share valuable information, like educational articles or news about your business. It can establish your brand as a company that cares more about the customers than making money.
5. Personalization
While personalization is one of the best ways to connect with customers, it is incredibly challenging for businesses, especially smaller ones. They might not have the resources to personalize a customer’s experience, which is okay. But there are still ways to work on it.
As previously mentioned, communication is the key here. Remember that every customer is different. Some prefer long and detailed emails, while others want to have a quick chat with the customer service. It is necessary to be on the same page as your client. Also, be flexible and adapt quickly. Don’t use your standard pre-written replies. Remember to listen and customize every interaction.
