Do you know your customers?

Do you remember the days when you could go to a local milkbar/corner store with your parent(s), or now, without them, and say “hello” to the same person each time? If you can’t that is totally cool, it is something that many people under 25-30 probably cannot remember and those over 30 probably haven’t experienced in quite sometime unless they are in a country town visitng a small business owner. The reason that we have brought this up is because today, sadly, a lot of business owners and a lot of employee’s don’t stay in the one business long enough or they have that many people buying through their store whether it is online or offline.

For a lot of people the first thing that comes to mind is “So what?!?!? This is just the norm these days… every business has hundreds, if not thousands of customers”. Well that is true in so many ways but as a business owner how can this have a negative effect if you don’t know your customer(s)? Well, there is many ways, three of which includes customer retention drops (dramatically), customer satisfaction and referral rates can drop.

How can you combat this, especially if you have an online store? Believe it or not, while you may be technically more advance than some pre-existing businesses you can easily keep a head by taking a couple of small leaf’s out of the smaller, less technically savvy business. Here is how:

1. Talk to your customers – As simple or as silly as this may sound it is one thing that a lot of businesses fail to do. Pick up the phone, make a call, talk to the customers, build that relationship. It will cost you or your team a bit of time, a tiny bit of money but it will yield results.
2. E-Mail your customers updates – This might be a simple “hey, how are you going?” or a “Hi, What is happening with you and your family?” type email. Send them small, regular, extremely personalised emails, find out how their new product is going that they got from you.
3. Setup a Telegram Channel and/or Group – Telegrams are back!!!! well, not really, not in their true sense. They have now gone digital. The cool thing is that you can use it as an effective way to communicate with ALL of your customers or potential customers. Unlike traditional Telegrams, the digital version is FREE!
4. Update your website – as hard as you or your team may find this, update your website regularly. If you or your team do not have the time or skills to do it, contact Suncoast Web Solutions, we can help you
5. Hold product launches – Now this one may seem like a potential waste of time or a huge expense that you may not have. If you prefer not to spend money or from past experience you didn’t get the results, don’t panic or worry…. You can do it via your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or YouTube Channel! Let your customers ask you questions through it as well, pay attention to the comment streams on the live video as you are making it, interact with them.
6. Offer Classes / Training Events – One of the most under valued marketing tricks is offering training sessions or events. To work out what to show customers, ask them at the events through feedback forms or face to face on what things they would like to see at the events.

There are so many digital versions of what long term business owners or “old school” business owners use to do to promote their business, to get to know their customers that you can do today. It is just digital, it is a little different, still time consuming but most importantly it is financially rewarding for your business.

If any of the above things is not something that you have tried, give them ago, get to know your customers better. If you are genuinely stuck for how to approach any of the items listed above drop us a line or give us a call.