The Techniques Your Business Needs to Connect with Customers

Julie Starr • Jul 17, 2020



Connecting with customers is a necessity for all businesses that want to grow, building their customer base, and retaining existing customers. For a modern business, it’s essential to have a brand that customers are able to connect with. Advertising and customer service can no longer be as simple and direct as they once were. There’s a lot that goes into creating the right strategy for approaching customers and forming relationships with them, including psychology and sociology. If your business needs help to connect with customers better, there are many different techniques that you can use to get the results that you want.

Treat Customers As Individuals
 One of the most significant things that businesses can do to connect with customers is to treat them as individuals. Even B2B businesses that are dealing with decision-makers within companies can take a more personal approach to working with them. Instead of treating everyone in the same way, it’s important to take a unique and tailored approach to each of them. For example, you might speak to customers differently depending on how much contact they have had with your brand. Those new to your brand might receive different messaging to those who have been interacting for longer or are already your customers.

Handle Concerns and Complaints
 It’s great when your business is going well, and you receive positive feedback. However, not all of the feedback that you receive can be positive. You will sometimes have concerns and complaints to deal with, and they can’t be ignored. Connecting with customers means that you need to engage with negative feedback too. Of course, responding in the right way is vital. That’s why it’s worth training your customer service representatives in how to do it, and escalating anything particularly important to the right people. Negative feedback handled incorrectly could do a lot of damage to any brand’s reputation.

Explore Different Communication Channels
 A choice of communication channels is essential for any business that wants to reach their customers. It’s important to consider your customer and the communication channels that they might prefer. Some B2B businesses might need to ensure they are available on the phone at all times, while B2C companies might put more focus on social media or online chat. Ideally, most businesses would have a choice of communication channels available for customers. Giving your customers options allows them to engage with you in the ways that suit them best. It means that staying in touch is never an inconvenience for them.

Use Social Media
 Social media is one of the communication channels that you can offer to customers as a customer service option. However, it can also be more than that. If you ask any digital marketing agency today, they will tell you the value of using social media. It allows you to build your brand and to connect with customers in new ways. There are many ways to use social media, with various platforms available that can be used differently. Some platforms are more visual, some are geared toward businesses, and others are suitable for engaging in conversations with customers. Social media is great for building a brand and creating a better connection with customers.

Have Face-to-Face Conversations
 With so many different ways to speak with customers, you can often communicate with them without seeing them in person. Sometimes this can mean miscommunication or the inability to convey tone properly. Meeting people face-to-face is a better way to communicate with clients in many instances. B2B businesses can benefit from choosing this type of conversation when they want to get to know their clients and take a personal approach. If in-person meetings aren’t possible or convenient, video conferencing can provide an alternative that works for many. It’s not exactly the same as meeting face-to-face, but it still allows you to see each other.

6 Effective Ways To Offer Value To Customers

By Julie Starr • 02 May, 2024
Understanding that acquiring new customers can cost up to five times more than retaining them empowers you to make strategic decisions. If you're not offering value to your customers, you won't be able to retain existing ones or attract new ones. In a world where there are seemingly a million customers all offering the same thing, standing out above the noise and offering value to your customers can boost retention. Look At What You Do Well To offer value and identify the reasons why people do business with you or what makes them choose you, take pride in what you do well. Where do you excel? What entices people? What are you most proud of? It is in these areas that you find value and get a better idea of what customers want and expect. Improve Your Brand Image and Perception How people see and perceive your brand will show them what you have to offer and can be a great way to help people connect with your brand. Be clear about who you are and what you represent. It might be that your whole company is built on sustainability, and if people know this and can align with your beliefs, then you can develop a relationship with them based on mutual goals and ideals. Take some time to see what your brand perception is and what message you are putting out there about who you are, and if it doesn't wholly represent you, then you can work on changing this so the message is clear and representative of what the company is about. This can be a great way to offer people value and something another brand provides. Improved Quality The quality of what you should always be top-notch, but you can still go a little extra. It doesn't matter if you're selling whole podcasts, parts, repairs, or services; the level of quality received by the customers for the price point will often play a massive factor in whether or not they will make another purchase or become a regular customer. Even if you don't offer anything else that seems exemplary, if people are more than satisfied with the output level, you can guarantee they will definitely be back. So whether you upgrade the quality of your ingredients for food and drink-based products, offer additional content or support for your services, or outsource to machine shops for fabrication requirements, improve the quality of what you do to give you that edge over competitors. Provide A Positive Experience Value isn't always about something you offer for a price point; it's about the experience as a whole and, oftentimes, the things you don't do. By providing all customers with a positive experience , you can leave a lasting impression in their minds that they really enjoyed their contact with your company. This will help to ensure they come back to you time and again, feeling they have received a good service and this is of value to them. Many customers want to know their business is appreciated, and you can do this by ensuring that each and every interaction with your company is a smooth, positive one that requires little to no effort with a good payoff at the end of the transaction. Quality Over Price Sure, you can go out there and undercut your competitors, but this tactic isn't always the best, nor does it work for everyone. However, what you can do is emphasize the quality of the product and justify its price point. Even if it's slightly more expensive than your competitors, you can win people over by showing exactly what they're getting for their money and why it's worth its price tag. Don't be tempted to hike the price point up to give it an air of superior quality. You still need to be pricing realistically; however, by focusing on the benefits of the value of what you're offering over the price, you can show people lie in purchasing from you. Educate customers By offering tutorials, demonstrations, trial products or services, FAQs, and practical assistance, you not only offer a good value product or service but also give customers a chance to learn more about you, what you do, what you stand for, and what your company is all about.  This, in turn, along with good customer service and knowledgeable representatives, will offer your customers value as they will be able to understand your product or service better and know you're investing in our product and that you care about their experience. There are many ways to offer value to customers besides discounts or freebies. Any of these options can directly benefit your business and require little outlay.

Embracing Sustainability: How To Shift Your Business Efforts For A Greener Future

By Julie Starr • 26 Apr, 2024
Imagine walking into a world where every business breathes sustainability. Great, right? That’s where we’re all headed, and today, we’re looking into how your business can join this green revolution. It’s not just about planting trees or cutting back on plastic; it’s about a total game-change in how we think about business. Reimagining Your Supply Chain Alright, let’s talk about your supply chain. It’s the backbone of your company, and it might be time to give it a little eco-friendly makeover. Instead of just churning products through a one-way street from creation to landfill, think about making it a circular journey. How? By designing products that can be recycled or reused at the end of their life. This little twist not only reduces waste but could also save you some money and spark some serious innovation. Investing In Sustainable Technologies Now, onto tech. Investing in the latest tech can seem like a luxury, but when it comes to sustainability, it’s more of a necessity. Technologies like AI can make your operations super efficient, slashing energy costs and reducing waste before it even happens. And then there’s blockchain. It’s not just for crypto enthusiasts; it can help you keep your supply chain transparent, letting everyone check if you’re keeping your green promises. Empowering Employees And Building A Culture Of Sustainability But technology and plans are only part of the picture. The real magic happens when your team gets in on the action. Start with some fun workshops or team challenges—anything that gets everyone thinking about sustainability. Maybe set up a green squad within the company who can lead the charge and come up with fresh ideas. Remember, if your team is excited about a project, they’ll put their hearts into making it work. Customizing Your Sustainable Transformation Tailoring your sustainability efforts can be tricky, but it’s a lot smoother with some expert guidance, like ZBrains’ Zoho Consulting services. They’re great at tweaking Zoho’s tools to fit just right with what your business needs. Need to track your energy usage or cut down on waste? They’ve got an app for that. Automation? Yep, they can make those repetitive tasks disappear, too, all while keeping Mother Earth happy. Building Partnerships For Sustainable Innovation Going solo can be tough. Why not buddy up? Collaborating with other companies or non-profits can lead to some groundbreaking eco-friendly innovations. It’s all about sharing what you know, pooling resources, and sometimes, pushing for changes that make it easier for businesses to be green. Plus, working together means you can share the spotlight when your cool new sustainable project hits the headlines! Going Beyond Compliance Lastly, don’t just play by the rules—aim higher. There’s a whole world of eco-certifications out there that can push your business to do better. Whether it’s getting a LEED certification or joining the ranks of B Corps, going the extra mile not only helps the planet but also polishes your brand’s reputation. Think about it: customers love companies that care, so why not be the one they love? Conclusion Switching up your business to be more sustainable might seem like a big leap, but it’s all about taking one step at a time. Whether it’s rethinking your supply chain or empowering your team to lead the charge, every little action counts. Ready to start? Let’s make your business not just better, but greener and more resilient for the future.
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