In the world of commerce, customer engagement is vitally important but not many business owners seem to know how to do it. Instead of connecting with customers, they shove sale upon sale down their throats. Other companies are so obsessed with chasing sales that they forget that the people they want to sell their product or service to are people.
The sales pitch is all that matters and when a pitch does not result in a sale, they are left stumped. It’s not about the pitch, but rather the engagement and here are some tips on how to engage meaningfully with your clients.
The tech is there. Use it.
Never has engaging with your clients been easier than today. The technological advances in communication have provided business owners with a range of tools to choose from. At TalkRoute.com you can get a comprehensive package that includes a virtual phone number to make contact with your clients on various levels.
This enables an owner to connect with clients on a personal level and get to know the person and not just the sale. Using technology will also enable the owner to keep track of who was contacted, ensuring that no one slips through the cracks.
Make the customers part of the team
It might seem odd to some people to include the customers in your business team, but you would not have a business if it were not for them in the first place. When you do customer engagement right, you will probably have a database with relevant details about them.
Use this info to send special coupons to loyal clients or provide special offers on your company’s anniversaries. If your clients have businesses of their own, you could even link their websites to your own, or advertise for them on your website. This creates a sense of loyalty that is hard to duplicate in any other way.
Create product or service tours
One of the best ways to engage your clients is to create a product or service tour. A product tour is different from a sales pitch because the main aim is just to provide info. If done right, the client will never feel as though you are trying to sell them something, but it will encourage them to make that purchase.
It allows them to find out everything they want about the product at their own pace. It then places the ball in their court to make contact with you to find out a bit more. This is the time when the sales pitch comes into play.
Host an event
If a product tour seems a bit distant and impersonal for you, the next best thing is to host an event. During these events, you have the opportunity to engage with your clients’ lives. This brings a community of like-minded individuals together to pick each other’s brains as well. You do not even have to host your event.
You could get a booth at a local networking opportunity or expo to spread the word. These events are also highly advertised which means you do not even have to do most of the advertising.
Hold a contest
Holding a contest is one of the more unique ways to engage with customers. Everybody loves free stuff and a contest is one of the best ways to get connected with your clients.
When the contest requires the contestants to use your product and display results, then it also creates a sense of trust in the product or service that you provide. Those who take part in the contest also get rewarded for using your products.
