Online shopping has replaced traditional buying habits among consumers, especially after the coronavirus pandemic. Statistics indicate that around 80% of American customers shop on the internet in 2022, and these numbers will keep increasing. Companies should find better, i.e., more innovative methods to connect with their customers effectively. These innovative strategies, if applied correctly, can help your business retain more customers than your competitors.
However, some business managers and owners don’t understand how to properly connect with customers in the online space. They assume that having a meager digital presence in the form of a website will do just fine. Naturally, it doesn’t work like that! Customers expect companies to connect with them authentically. Every business is selling something and trying to convince others to buy from them. But customers will only respond better to someone who can provide an engaging experience.
If you want to connect with your online customers and ensure good engagement, build trust and maximize satisfaction levels and sales, consider the following tips:
- Enhance your knowledge
Learn more about digital marketing to understand how to connect with consumers more effectively. You can do this by leveraging online learning opportunities to make better use of your time. Specialized distance-learning courses enable business managers and marketers to focus on their studies while working simultaneously. A strategic digital marketing course can help you to discover the best practices required to build loyalty among an audience in today’s tech-savvy business environment. Enhancing your knowledge will help you become familiar with new marketing techniques and overcome shortcomings to reach out to your customers and build long-lasting professional connections with them.
- Tweak your messaging
Buyers in the 21st century have become more autonomous and outspoken than ever. They respond better when marketers focus on their sentiments by creating emotionally-appealing messages. For instance, Patagonia made ads that said, “Don’t buy this jacket,” to inform people about the ecological impact of their jackets’ manufacturing. Customers quickly interpreted this advertisement as just a warning about how people’s buying decisions affect the climate. So, the seemingly-negative connotation caused their sales to go up by 30% following this powerful campaign in 2011.
- Keep it personal
Are salespeople not relevant anymore? Yes, they are, but you can observe that the traditional techniques of salespeople don’t work in modern settings now. Salespeople have revamped their techniques and don’t try pushing products forcibly on reluctant consumers. Instead of aggressively asking people to buy things from you, discuss what they need. Keep your tone personal, consultative, and conversational. You are there not merely to sell an item but to ask questions about consumers’ genuine needs and wants. Show them how your product makes their problems go away. Keeping it personal and friendly will help you connect with consumers.
- Leverage social media
Nowadays, almost 82% of customers expect brands to respond within ten minutes. So merely having a social media account won’t do the job unless your team constantly stays active on these platforms. Avoid making your customers wait hours before they receive a reply by getting chatbots to respond to any queries they have. These chatbots can answer people’s repetitive questions without exhaustion and ensure 24/7 availability. Doing so will help you provide a better customer experience, and the sales team will likely generate more leads and close deals.
- Remember to live chat
While focusing on chatbots, don’t forget to leverage technology to provide face-to-face interactions with customers. The pandemic allowed everyone to remain connected via technology such as Zoom. On the other hand, marketers have realized that chatting with customers via a video call or live stream can help build trust and loyalty. Live chats are now popular techniques for small-sized businesses to respond to customers’ queries. Thus, communicate with consumers as quickly as possible to gain their trust.
- Become socially responsible
Business managers should adopt CSR initiatives (corporate social responsibility) to address rising concerns about the environmental impact of their work. Consumers have now become conscious of how their purchasing decisions affect the world’s climate. No wonder over one-third of customers globally are ready to pay more for sustainable products. Let customers know you care about the world by adopting sustainable techniques and becoming eco-conscious.
- Appreciate your clients
Customers respond better when companies respect them. The reasoning behind respecting consumers is simple, i.e., a customer pays you money while buying stuff from you. So, show your consumers how much you appreciate them by offering quality customer service.
- Ask for feedback
Asking for feedback from customers may make you uncomfortable. But remember that gaining this information can help you improve marketing strategies and product quality. Listening to people’s comments and incorporating their feedback will enhance your reputation among customers. Don’t fret when online reviews include some negative remarks. Use these remarks to learn how to improve your company’s customer experience. Turn negative reviews into useful insights into what hinders a buyer’s journey while browsing your online shop.
Conclusion
In this day and age, businesses should connect with consumers as authentically as possible. This involves leveraging social media, responding to their concerns, and asking for feedback properly. Appreciate your clients and become socially responsible for earning their trust. Remember to connect with them on a personal level and provide person-to-person assistance whenever required. You can also pursue short online courses to improve your knowledge about digital marketing and customer interactions. Connecting with your customers will help you carve your space in a rapidly growing market where customers have less time and patience at their disposal and more options to choose from.