Many businesses see communications as synonymous with marketing and sales, devoting their communications strategy to promoting the business or converting leads. Communications is more than that, however, and business owners would do well to look at their communications strategy from end-to-end.
Here are five steps you can take to reinvigorate your customer interactions.
1. Provide value with no strings attached
Offering education and advice to a potential customer without putting sales pressure on them allows you to engage with them and lets them get acquainted and comfortable with your business. This is a key way to build trust.
‘Value’ ranges from a free e-book download or webinar, a Q&A session or valuable advice offered via your FAQ page or regular blog. Be careful not to give away your core product or service; instead, offer a sample of your services through these communications methods.
2. Communicate again and again
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If potential customers require up to 10 follow-ups before they commit to a sale, it means many businesses lose a number of opportunities through lack of persistence.
Assuming you have established trust on the first contact, and that your product/service is suitable for the potential customer, a follow-up should be presented as a helpful call or email that invites the customer to ask any further questions while allowing them to consider the purchase.
3. After the sale
Communication with customers does not stop just because you’ve made a sale. Generate post-sale loyalty and referrals by investing in converted leads. You can do this in a number of ways, for example, newsletters, invitations to special events and callouts on your blog or in media coverage.
Make customers proud to be associated with your business. Mention them in your collateral or email them relevant case studies and coverage that your business receives. This reminds customers of your expertise while establishing interaction beyond the sales process.
Being on top of your communications strategy in all aspects of your business will provide insight into your customer’s needs and wants, especially as they change through time. This, in turn, will help you reassess the nature of your goods and services and assist you in promoting them to both new and existing customers.
Stay tuned for Part Two of this post to discover the final two communications tactics that will help you invigorate your relationship with your customers.
Do you have a communications strategy in place for your business? How do you communicate with your customers in an effort to improve their experience?
