As human beings, we rely on relationships for many things. And just as friends rely on one another, businesses wouldn’t be successful without their biggest supporters: customers.
Maintaining a strong relationship with your customer base could make or break the future of your business. You want to build up those relationships through quality products and open lines of communication.
So whether your outsourcing your modes of communications to top-notch tech companies like BrightPattern or making CRM marketing a major part of your 2020 goals, maintaining those relationships will be vital. Here are five ways you can build killer relationships with your customer base:
1. Find your best avenues of communication.
One of the simplest ways you can ensure customer satisfaction is by providing open lines of communication for consumers to air their grievances, provide helpful feedback, and shout out the products they love. They can’t do that, however, if you’re not up-to-date as a business. Are you on social media? No. Get on it!
Even having a Facebook page where customers can leave comments and reviews will let your base feel heard. It’s important now to have more than a contact page on your website. And, as an added bonus, you as a business can track customer data. You can see analytics on what posts they like and what content they gravitate towards, and you can grow with your base.
2. Ask for feedback; make real change.
Now, with bullet #1 in mind, don’t be afraid to ask for feedback. Post a poll to your Instagram to ask your followers if they liked the new additions to your restaurant’s menu.
Offer opportunities to live chat on Facebook; you can answer their questions about new product launches or receive direct feedback from them. But it has got to be more than just receiving feedback; as a business, you need to hear these critiques and make actionable changes.
3. Ensure your marketing strategies align with business/customer relationship goals.
Since you’ve opened those lines of communication, now’s the right time to ensure your marketing strategies align with your goals for your company and your relationship with customers. CRM, or customer relationship marketing, is a process that involves centering your client/customer relationship in your business and marketing models.
CRM allows you as a business owner to build those relationships while keeping your brand and marketing endeavors in mind. As a business, it’d behoove you to find strategies for marketing your brand while keeping your loyal customers in mind.
4. Find a larger base through those most loyal to you.
Now that you’ve found your base and are growing your relationship with them, you can work to expand your base through the friends and families of those loyal to you. This can be done through giveaways on social media, where your followers tag their friends and families to acquaint them with your business. Or, you can accomplish this through referral programs that reward customers for bringing others into your consumer base.
5. Show some love!
Lastly, as a business owner, you’ll benefit from rewarding and showing appreciation specifically for those most loyal to your brand. Showing some appreciation for the customers that stick by your company and consistently provide you with business is a great way to show your base that you care about the relationship between you both.
You can show them some love by providing coupons and sale opportunities to mailing Listserv members. Or you can post to your social media stories about exclusive deals. Either way, showing your base that they matter by treating them every once in a while will keep them coming back.