Custom
er relations has always been a critical aspect of business. However, the way in which you satisfy your customers has changed. It is no longer enough to simply provide great products and services. Today, interacting with and engaging your audience is important to achieve the levels of customer satisfaction you desire and connect with them on new levels. Technology plays a major role in how you can interact with your customers and improve your level of customer service.
There are multiple options available including Social Media and email marketing as detailed below. Because each method has its own advantages, it is important for you to evaluate your business’s needs and decide which ones are right for you.
- Social Media
Social media has made it extremely easy for you to connect with your customers in new ways. With the vast number of people who use these sites, you can easily expand your reach. There are a few consumer relations tips you must consider before you begin using social media, though.
Consider Your Audience – First and foremost, you need to think about the demographic makeup of your audience. Are they male or female? What is their age? What is their nationality? The demographics of your audience will play a major role in which social media sites will be the most successful for your business.
Engaging Your Audience – The next step is to determine what you can offer to engage your audience. If you are going to share thought-provoking posts through your blog, sharing links to your posts through Facebook and Twitter are great options. You can also implement some humor, images or short insight by using many of these social media sites, particularly Twitter, which limits your posts to 140 characters.
Monitor Your Accounts – Once you begin using social media as a way to reach out to and engage your audience, you need to closely monitor the activity. If you don’t check often enough, your audience will feel neglected and you will lose out on the interactions. However, you should avoid micromanaging your accounts as well. A delicate balance of checking enough without overdoing it will ensure your audience feels connected to you without neglecting your other tasks.
- Digital Signage Installations
If you have a brick and mortar store, signs have always been an essential aspect of your business. The type of signs you should use has changed, though. Businesses should no longer use static images posted on banners, posters and other signs. Instead, you need to consider adding digital signs to your store. These signs can be fully customized to best fit your needs and portray any number of messages you would like your customers to know about your business, including sales promotions, important dates and new products.
Consumers are used to checking digital screens for the information they desire. With the large number of people who carry smartphones or use tablets in place of traditional computers, digital is nothing new. When you use digital signage to get the message across, you are using something your customers are most familiar with. Customers want to know they are important to you and that you understand them. Recreating the look of their favorite devices can help you build more solid customer relations.
- Email Marketing
Email marketing isn’t something that is new, but it isn’t something that should be ignored, though. While this type of marketing may have negative connotations with the amount of spam that circulates the Internet, it can still be effective if you use it properly.
To build the right marketing campaign through email, think about the aspects of emails that give them a bad reputation. Many people complain because they receive too many emails in a short period of time, the messages aren’t interesting or there is no incentive to act on the email. While none of these issues are insurmountable, it is easy for people to feel this way if they don’t have a good relationship with the brand. If customers are happy with a brand, these issues are generally not an irritant like they would be for a brand in which the customer isn’t interested or invested.
Once you can look beyond the bad connotations of email marketing, you can create an effective marketing campaign that helps you truly connect to your customers. One of the best customer relations tips is to custom tailor emails to each specific consumer. While blanket emails can be effective, customers prefer when they receive something that looks as though it was made just for them. For instance, if someone purchases something from you, sending a follow-up email that gives product recommendations based on that purchase can be a great way to build a relationship and increase the level of trust between your company and the consumer.
Non-promotional emails can also be a great way to supplement your email marketing campaign. For instance, try sending out special emails for a person’s birthday or anniversary or around a holiday. While you can offer something special, like a discount or a free item, simply sending this message will put your name at the forefront of the customer’s mind and show him you appreciate his business.
Building customer relations is important, but it isn’t a one-size-fits-all option for businesses. It is critical for you to look at your business and your customers to determine which of these customer relations tips will work best for you. In some cases, you may have to try several methods before you find the right options. [PR-Intelligence]
