Written By Max Hoffenheins
I’m a serial entrepreneur, and I can tell you firsthand that connecting with customers should be your priority. How else would you learn about your customers’ needs if you don’t build relationships with them?
Regardless of how defined your target audience is, no one wants to deal with a business that doesn’t satisfy their basic needs and ignores demands.
The more personal you can get with your customers, the better the relationship you build. And in this process, you gain high ROI, referrals, and more returning customers.
Taking care of your current clients costs less than getting new ones. Research shows that a repeat customer is 9x more likely to convert than someone you’re dealing with for the first time.
This is why your goal should be customer loyalty and to build long-lasting relationships.
So, here is how it works; a happy customer turns into a repeat customer who becomes a verbal champion for your brand forever.
Here are four ways to build strong customer relationships:
1. Communicate Effectively
You can’t build any relationship without effective communication. And the same applies to customer relationships.
Listen to your customers as you promote your business.
Have real conversations with them rather than continually going on and on about your business. Find out about their real needs and problems, then show them that you can provide the solution.
This goes beyond you to your employees. Teach them that communicating effectively with your customers is crucial. Never wait till customer service becomes a disturbing problem. Respond to emails and voicemail messages promptly.
2. Request for Customer Feedback
Your customers want to know that they are valued; that their opinions matter. One great way to do this is by earnestly seeking their feedback either through online reviews or surveys.
This way, you’re able to build a better relationship with your customer, increase their trust in your brand, and also improve your online visibility.
Another way to do this is by organizing walk-in sessions where you have one-on-one interactions with some of your customers. You could also go above and beyond to plan a simple event for your customers.
Use this event to get more feedback, get them more interested in your brand, and increase customer loyalty. Connecting with them face-to-face fosters a much stronger personal connection.
3. Go Beyond Expectations
Do not promise great products and services to your customers, and then deliver on the opposite. That is a sure way to lose their trust and any customer-brand relationship.
Instead, raise the standards of what you provide.
It becomes easier to exceed your customers’ expectations when you know what they hope to get from your company and still keep excellent customer experience as a priority.
Long-lasting relationships come naturally when you work to exceed your customers’ expectations rather than barely meet them. Deliver earlier than expected and do not cut back on the quality either.
Doing this will come to your customers as a welcome surprise and increase their customer loyalty.
4. Act on Feedback
Listening and asking for feedback is one way to monitor your online reputation and build a relationship with your customer. But that is only one half of the equation. The other half is consciously acting on the feedback you receive.
Not only does this show your customers that their opinions are valued, but it also proves that you desire to nurture the customer relationship.
Leave a comment below if you’ve got any questions or more tips and share this article with a business owner who can also benefit from it.