Have you read the latest customer engagement studies? According to Gallup polls, businesses that prioritize engagement have 63% less customer turnover. Engaged customers spend nearly 30% more than customers who aren’t engaged.
Stellar communication is a cornerstone of customer engagement. Just think about all the resources you waste on customer churn. It costs a lot to attract and convert a customer, only to let them fall through the cracks.
Ignoring your customers will only make turnover worse. It’s time to come out from behind the curtain and forge a personal connection in a meaningful way.
Is a business capable of creating a “personal” connection when it’s a commercial entity? You bet! Today’s top brands are humanizing their approach like never before.
Learn how to take your brand from impersonal to personal in just a few steps.
Adjust Your Brand Messaging
First, assess your tone. Does your brand message come across as too cold and impersonal? This is critical to ask.
You don’t want to come off as unapproachable. Make sure your company slogan, about pages, and mission statement is written in a warm and friendly tone. This philosophy should also apply to your content strategy.
Make sure all your website content, including your blog, is warm, friendly, and informational. Back up your claims with studies and data. Your goal is to build trust with your audience, so you can be received as a trusted authority in your sector.
Use Inviting Images and Media
Blogs, articles, website content, and written tutorials are only a few aspects of your content strategy. Choosing the right images and video is critical for forging personal connections with customers.
Just like with written content, avoid media that’s cold, impersonal, or uncomfortable. Choose images that exude the energy you want to evoke in customers. Do you want a bright and cheery vibe or a cold and sterile mood?
Stock images are a good start, but the pool may run dry eventually. Invest in original photography, if you want to create personal and relevant images for your brand. Your media should represent the community you’re trying to reach.
Consistency is also vital for connection. Your positive tone, messaging, and media should be consistent across the marketing spectrum, from mailers to email.
Get on Social Media Now
One of the most important platforms on the marketing spectrum is social media. Social media has taken personalization to new levels.
Social media allows brands to engage with consumers and vice versa. It doesn’t get more personal than asking your customers a direct question. However, you need a strategy behind the questions.
Don’t just ask random questions for the sake of connecting. You’re spending a lot of time (and money) on social media marketing. Ask questions that are relevant to your brand.
Go back to your market research. You have to conduct market research to learn how your customers think. Investigate common problems that are relevant to your niche.
Let’s say you have a line of organic cleaning products. A common problem for your target consumer is finding chemical-free cleaning products. Your products are a solution to their problem.
When you identify what’s most important to your customers, you can ask the right questions on social media. Ask social media users about their favorite natural cleaning scents, top herbal remedies, or their latest holistic obsessions.
Generate Feedback
Customers like voicing their experiences (and not so great experiences) online. This is an excellent opportunity to engage customers and build that personal connection.
Request feedback periodically from customers. Create a segmented email list for lost customers or customers who only made one purchase. Ask them how you can improve their experience, so they can come back for more.
Implement a Review Strategy
Reviews are a vital piece of the customer connection puzzle. A whopping 93% of consumers begin their shopping experience with a simple Google search. One of the first things they look for are reviews from fellow customers.
Reviews can make or break a business in the digital age. You need a review strategy before poor reviews spiral out of control.
Stellar customer service is an excellent way to generate positive views. Customer service should be warm, friendly, personable, and helpful. It can quickly turn a disastrous experience into a 5-star review experience.
How you respond also makes a difference. Don’t react to poor reviews with coldness or anger. Potential customers want to know if you take concerns seriously.
If you want to improve your online reputation, dominate Google reviews with 5-star faves, not 1-star rants.
If you’re delivering stellar customer experiences, remember to ask customers to leave a review. Loyal customers want to keep their favorite companies in business. Let them know that just one review can make a difference.
Use Incentives to Create a Personal Connection
Another way to generate positive reviews is to offer enticing customer incentives. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a customer who doesn’t like a good incentive. Test out all types of incentives, like buy-one-get-one-free deals, online exclusives, weekend sales, and free gifts with purchase.
Free giveaways also forge personal connections. Giveaways are great for brand awareness and spreading positive vibes. Send free gifts to loyal customers during the holidays.
How to Manage Personal Connections
Think of personal connection as a marketing tool, not just a formality. Incorporate it into every aspect of your brand, from your marketing materials to your customer service strategy.
Since there are so many working parts to consider, you need a reliable management tool to handle these parts. Buy a social media management app and a customer communication management tool to manage your connections. You also need an analytics tool to measure the ROI of your new strategy.
Start Connecting
Don’t be cold to potential customers. Create a welcoming experience from the start. Use these tips to forge a personal connection that converts.
A personable marketing strategy is an important piece of your business model. Check back often to discover the latest business trends impacting 21st-century entrepreneurs.
