Thanks to advances in technology, customers are having an easier time connecting with their chosen businesses. They can email a company with their complaints, send them direct messages with suggestions, and post their recommendations on social media. However, not all forms of communication are equal.
Most communication is often handled by inauthentic methods like chatbots or robocalls. For example, in 2019, Americans received almost 50 billion robocalls. But these forms of communicating with your customers are mostly ineffective in creating a meaningful relationship.
According to a survey, 86 percent of people believe that authenticity is vital for businesses that want their customers to like and support them. Authentic communication between your business and your market ensures they remain loyal to your brand. It’s also essential when attracting new customers and expanding your business.
Here are a few tips you can use to create authentic communication between you and your customers.
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Know Your Customers
Before you can connect with your market in a meaningful capacity, you need to understand what they’re like. Customer information is essential in crafting an effective strategy. How can you go about collecting this information? You shouldn’t employ any method that’s too intrusive for your customers, or else you risk losing their confidence.
Surveys are always the right choice because they’re easy to fill out and you can send them out online. However, make sure to warn your respondents if the survey will take a long time to answer. Remember to compensate your respondents in some way; for example, you can offer them discounts or free material in exchange for their time.
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Send Personalized Packages
Your customers will enjoy it when you send them tokens of your appreciation, especially if they’re long-term buyers. Most businesses will probably send generic, pre-made emails to their customers, but you can take things one step further by sending them personalized items. For example, if your business has membership offers or similar exclusive programs, you can send out colored poly mailer bags full of goodies.
But what could you send them? Well, you can check their purchase history or similar information and find out what they like and put it in the bag. Coupons for discounts on their favorite items or sneak peeks at new products are all fantastic ideas for these kinds of gift bags.
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Respond to Emails
Customers who care will take the time to send you their thoughts and suggestions via email. Comment sections and instant messages may be quicker, but people who are willing to send emails mean business and are looking for a more direct form of communication with your business. Don’t just brush off their emails with a generic response email. Instead, you can use a generated email to tell them their message has been acknowledged and when they can expect the full response. Then you can craft a simple message replying to their concern. This type of communication may be time-consuming, but it can be rewarding because it evokes a considerable level of authenticity.
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Ask Them What They Think
Your customers are your biggest stakeholders because they experience your products and services the most. That means that they have a lot of opinions and comments about these things. You can increase your authentic communications with customers by finding ways to ask them about their thoughts regarding these things. Online platforms and digital media are full of channels that can help you do so effectively.
For example, you can employ a strategy as simple as making a post on your social media account. Or you can send something along the lines of a personal email they can fill up with their answers. What’s more important is that you acknowledge their thoughts. Review their comments and recognize legitimate grievances and ideas.
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Gather and Use Testimonials
Finally, your customers like it when their thoughts are not only acknowledged but also showcased proudly. Glowing recommendations and blurbs from pleased customers not only highlight that you appreciate their opinions but that you also use genuine testimonials. Too many businesses nowadays use paid blurbs and create fake accounts to generate equally false testimonials. But when you use thoughts and recommendations from real users, you add another layer of authenticity to your business and foster more trust with your company.
Your business needs to show that it’s not just a commercial enterprise. Authentic communication is one of the most vital tools in your kit to make that happen. Form genuine relationships with your customers today and lay the foundations of a successful enterprise in the future.
