The world of business is a cold and calculated minefield of endless decisions to be made and profitable avenues to be discovered. You need to think in terms of money, statistics and what techniques will best sell your services and brand as an overall concept to both potential and existing customers of your business. It’s all too easy, then, to lose track of what it really means for a customer at the other end when they buy a certain good or service. They’re not thinking in terms of corporate jargon or business mentality; these people are thinking in terms of what that product or service will do to change their lives.
The problem with thinking in terms of statistics is that your business might lose touch with its target audience. It’s hard to know what the customer wants when you no longer think of them as a person but a statistic. The key to good business is all about finding that sweet balance between the human element and money-making element of an industry. You need to focus on the customer’s needs and let the business side of things take care of itself as a result. Sales will come when you focus on the real people at the other end of your business process. Here are some tips to help your company treat customers like people and not statistics.
Communication.
Your business needs to shows its customers that there are also real people behind the towering brand face that you put up on posters or online adverts. You need to communicate with your target audience to both solve problems and answer questions that people may have, whether they’re an existing customer or on the fence about using your services. This is where social media comes into play, as there’s no better platform for your business’ team to make a real connection with clients.
Twitter is becoming one of the most popular channels for bridging the gap between businesses and customers, but even using Instagram to post images or Facebook to stream live videos can really add that human element to your company. You want to show customers that there’s something real going on behind the corporate entity that your brand may project. You should also be showing that you value any suggestions as to improvements your business could be making.
Show gratitude.
Human beings show emotion, as I’m sure you know if you are one. It’s important that your business remembers this and that you show your gratitude to customers for choosing your company whenever they purchase a certain good or service from you. You need to show that your customers are valued for supporting your business and that they’re also supporting all the people who work for your company. You could even send business thank you notes through the post to add a personal touch when showing your gratitude to a certain client. You want your brand to be remembered, and customers are likely to find that your business sticks in their mind if you make a big display of thanking them for their purchases.
Rewards.
Along the same theme of the previous suggestion, you could go the extra mile when it comes to keeping your customers loyal and reward them for their continued support. You want to show that your business genuinely recognizes how important each individual customer is to its success, and that will really impress the average consumer. If you want to keep people coming back for more, a small gift or even a loyalty program could do the trick.
