Customer engagement is the customer’s emotional connection to a company going beyond mere customer satisfaction. It represents the client’s overall positive attitude towards the brand, including loyalty, advocacy, and willingness to recommend. This doesn’t happen overnight or automatically. You have to work at it. Here are ways that you can increase customer engagement:
Table of Contents
Create Helpful Content
The more prospects interact with helpful content, the higher the chances of doing business with your company. Create content that is genuinely helpful and relevant to your target audience, and make sure it is easy to find and consume.
When focusing on email marketing, for instance, create content that educates recipients on topics such as how to use your product, exciting ways to put it to use, or case studies on how it has helped other customers. Use an email tracking process to find out which content pieces are most popular with your subscribers and share more of that type of content going forward.
Personalize The Customer Experience
Your customers have different needs and expectations, so give them a personalized experience. Use data such as purchase history, contact information, and website activity to segment your audience.
The more relevant and tailored the experience, the deeper the connection your customer will feel toward your brand. The effort enables you to offer valuable content, product recommendations, and discounts.
Seek Customer Feedback
Consistently ask customers for feedback and listen to what they have to say. Make it easy for them to provide feedback through an automated email after purchase or a pop-up survey on your website. Encourage honest feedback by offering something in return, such as a discount on their next purchase. Use negative feedback as an opportunity to improve the customer experience.
Be Responsive
Offer timely responses to customers, whether they reach out to you via social media, your website contact form, or email. If you take too long to get back to them, they will move on to a more responsive competitor. Use automation to speed up the process, such as auto-responders when someone submits a contact form on your website.
Additionally, be available outside business hours if a customer needs to reach you urgently. It could be through a live chat function on your website or having someone available by phone.
Be Human
Your customers are real people, so treat them as such. Address them by name, use emojis in your communications, and write in a natural, conversational tone. Be personal and friendly, and let your brand’s personality shine through.
Use videos to connect with customers more personally, such as featuring a staff member in a customer testimonial or giving a behind-the-scenes look at your business. Customers will appreciate the human touch and are more likely to engage with a brand that feels relatable.
Besides, make an effort to build relationships with your customers and show that you care about them. Show appreciation for their business, give them a birthday discount or send a handwritten thank-you note.
Additionally, get to know your clients personally if you can. Remember their names and what they like if you have a brick-and-mortar storefront. These small gestures make a big impression and instill loyalty in your customer base.
Hang Out More With Potential Customers
Seek out opportunities to connect with potential customers where they already are. If you know your target audience spends time on specific social media platforms or websites, advertise there.
Attend industry events or tradeshows and host events to connect with potential customers in person. Get involved in relevant online communities and offer helpful advice without selling. The goal is to build relationships and get your brand name in front of many people.
Build A Robust Customer Base
As you will realize, increasing customer engagement is not a one-time effort but a continuous journey. By prioritizing it, you’ll build a robust and loyal customer base. It makes all your marketing, branding, and sales efforts more worthwhile in the long run.