Starting a small business from nothing is an overwhelming task for anyone to take on.
But for an entrepreneur, you may thrive on that adrenalin rush and the pressure to succeed. However, there are many reasons why so many businesses fail in their first year, and I think much of that has to do with the customer side of things.
The experience in dealing with your business, the interaction and, of course, positive outcomes.
With that in mind, here are some of the fabulous ways that you can interact with your customer base.
Decent marketing campaigns
Marketing is a huge part of any company to get their voice heard. They use things like social media, mailshots and of course word of mouth.
So it’s important that any marketing campaign your business works towards speaks volumes about your business while still remembering the customer experience.
These days many people love the fact that a big brand will interact with them directly, humanizing the business in some way. Opportunities, where you can get the general public involved in your marketing, is another way to start the conversation.
However, don’t forget the basics like a decent brand, website, and premises if you have one.
Good social media presence
Social media are huge, and we have become a nation of over-sharers. So there is no surprise that companies and small business alike are jumping on the media storm.
Utilizing social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter is huge for any business, especially if you get the customer interaction right. Be engaging with your profiles and invite people to respond, like and share status updates and tweets.
You could also use social media to think outside of the box and take advantage of up and coming platforms like Snapchat, YouTube videos, and Instagram.
Obtaining customer reviews
People listen to people, it’s a fact. However, people are more likely to share their negative experience than a positive experience.
This is why it’s so important to ensure that you make it easy to receive Customer Reviews. While of course, you don’t want to be receiving any bad feedback, although criticism can be a good thing, if you enable it to be easy for someone to share a positive experience then this could work in your favo
This is when reading the PeoplePulse guide to Net Promotor Score and how to implement it could be beneficial to help you understand your customers views better.
A company blog
Going back to the point of humanizing your business another thing to consider would be a blog as an extension of your website.
This is the perfect chance to share insider information with your existing and new customers, while also sounding much more personal than just a brand with a website.
It’s an excellent way to encourage people to sign up for updates and create your own marketing database.
Utilizing the local community
Finally, being seen in the local community is a great marketing strategy to work with. Many people are preferring to shop in smaller outlets and locally, supporting businesses within their community.
So take advantage of that and be heard. A great tip is to get involved with a local charity where you can be doing something for a good cause while gaining a positive image.
Let’s hope these tips help you to interact better with your customer base.