Building Better Customer Relationships Online: 5 Tips from the Experts
February 25, 2019
With such a vast online marketplace to choose from, consumers are becoming overwhelmed with selection. While businesses attempt to keep up with customer relations online, some fall short, leaving shoppers wondering where they stand. In 2019, one of the major trends we’ve seen online is customer outreach through various social platforms, and new engaging content.
Building relationships with your customers guarantees a higher rate of customer and brand loyalty. It also assists in increasing your number of shares and likes exponentially. If you, like other ecommerce companies, are left wondering how to reach your customers and break through the barrier of hundreds of competitors online, here are 5 tips for you.
1. Choose Influencers Which Speak to Your Brand: Online influencers hold a lot of sway over the consumer population. Not because consumers can’t speak for themselves, but because with so much to look at, it helps to have some direction. Those online presences which inspire and intrigue are a one-way ticket into the lives of your shoppers.
Finding an influencer is easy, but finding the right influencer for your brand might not be. To make the most of this connection, you should seek out an influencer which speaks specifically to your target audience. For example, if you own a beauty company, a makeup vlogger could be a great fit. While this individual should properly represent your brand, he or she should also speak to a broad audience as well. It’s always a good idea to leave doors open to the possibility of new customers outside of your general target.
2. Sum Your Product Up: Consumers want information quickly and efficiently. Gone are the days when people would spend hours researching something in encyclopedias and public libraries. The age of the internet has made it easier than ever to find what you want in an instant, and that’s about how long most consumers are willing to wait for it. Being able to describe your product or service in a clear and concise manner is key to creating a good relationship with your customers. These people want to know that they can trust you to give them what they need, and if you can’t even explain what it is you’re selling, you definitely don’t have what they need.
Take some time to determine the best way to sum up your product in a single sentence. Of course, you can have a longer description which outlines its finer points. But, for those who can’t wait, a simple outline of what you sell could be the deciding factor in whether a customer sticks around for a further look.
3. Prove Your Expertise: Anybody can read a Wikipedia entry on plumbing, cooking, sewing, or dancing. So, what makes you such an expert in your field? You should be able to offer consumers more information than a general online reference article. Show consumers that you’re an authority in your industry by distributing your knowledge through various sources. Be a guest speaker on a podcast, publish a webinar, or write an e-book. You should be the best source of information on your niche, product, or service, so don’t be afraid to show customers this.
Not only does this prove that you’re the best choice over your competition, but it builds trust and rapport with your clients. More trust equals a better relationship, and a better relationship will lead to better sales. Appearing as a guest in another businesses’ video or blog to better explain your own industry or product provides some celebrity status in your field. It’s these little things that go a long way toward increasing your value as a brand leader.
4. Evoke Emotion with Your Content: Real relationships aren’t flat and 2-dimentional. They’re diverse and are built on emotional connections. Whether you’re selling hair extensions or computer software, you can evoke an emotional response from customers through the content you publish; on social media, your company blog, YouTube channel, or your landing page. Telling a story, sharing an experience, or painting a picture of how your product or service makes a difference and will move those who see it.
Ways you can increase the emotional reaction consumers have to your content include adding music, including images, or creating videos. Visuals and sounds stimulate emotions and bring to mind past experiences. These small additions could help a customer compare your product to something he or she owned as a child or bring to mind the way a parent used to prepare a certain meal or any other number of reminiscent things.
5. Engage with Your Audience: Finally, and perhaps the most important way to build a better customer relationship is by engaging with consumers. Comments, shares, and likes all look great to search engines like Google, which helps boost your rank. However, search engine optimization isn’t the only reason to engage, it also helps build a better reputation among newcomers.
The customers who already love your product and business are more likely to become repeat customers based on your willingness to interact. New shoppers who see your comments and banter are more likely to want to engage with you as a business based on these personal interactions. Sometimes seeing a company speak kindly to their customers is worth more than a hundred good product reviews. It shows a real tangible connection, which is hard to find in business on or offline.
Whatever you choose to build a better relationship with your customers, do so as genuinely as possible. Remember, your customers are the reason your business is so successful and they’re the ones who will help you continue to grow and expand in the future, so treat them well.