Ideas for Building Customer Engagement as a Small Business

Businesses must do more than make customers aware of their products. When companies can get consumers to interact with their brand, that activity encourages loyalty and generates more business through organic marketing. Take a look at some ways you can boost customer engagement.

Learn From the Data

You need to know what inspires the most interest from your customers and turn engagement toward those topics. For example, a fabric and crafts company must be alert to the trends in materials, patterns, and colors according to seasons and locations. One way to find out is by using a POS for quilt stores.

POS data can let you know what items attract in-person purchases and what does better online. With a user-friendly dashboard, your company can prepare for upcoming seasons, have the right items in stock, and tailor promotions and social media to those products.

You can also use surveys and questionnaires to identify other attributes of your ideal customers.  The information can help you create a pleasant environment online or in-store that invites them to linger longer with you and increases the odds of higher sales. Use software to find what types of experiences surprise and delight customers and cater to their desires.

Train Your Team

A positive customer experience must be consistent company-wide to encourage engagement. Each team member must learn how to interact with customers in a memorable and positive way. Take time to teach and model effective customer service, which goes further than an inspiring motto or words in a handbook.

Start by hiring people who love to solve problems and help others. When you have the right people in place, you should empower those employees to be proactive in improving the customer journey. 

Don’t allow initiative and innovation to go without recognition. Create rewards programs and incentives that recognize team members who go the extra mile.

Start a Customer Loyalty Program

A profitable loyalty program for customers does more than offer discounts for repeat purchases. You need to personalize the program to fit your brand and please your clients.

Offer discounts and free products when they can provide a solid return on investment but ensure what you give away are the kinds of things that grab attention. Avoid presenting something cheap or out of style as an amazing gift, which can lower the value of your brand in customers’ eyes.

Remember to reward interactions and activities, not just purchases. Running contests through social media where you get more mentions and likes can draw more attention to your company organically. Don’t just encourage customers to report negative experiences. Incentivize consumers for pointing out exceptional service or providing honest reviews, which reinforces a positive view of your brand in their minds and attracts others.

Personalize Your Service

Surveys show that over half of customers want personalized service. While automation facilitates purchases, doing business should be more neighborly than transactional. 

Get to know customers personally when you interact with them. Of course, avoid being nosy or intrusive, but genuine concern goes a long way. A card or email on special occasions and anniversaries can elevate your service to the next level.

Establish a Unique Voice

Your company should have an identifiable personality that your audience can name. Are you fun or professional? Is your image classic or contemporary? Don’t try to be everything to everyone. Build a presence that reflects who you are and the kind of people you want as clients and professional partners.

Create Content

When you have a clear voice and presence, you need to bring it to life with content that informs and entertains your audience. Brief blog posts can share fresh ideas on how to use products and will position you as an industry expert.

Don’t worry about creating something epic and inspiring. People usually go online to find quick answers to everyday concerns. Search online for keywords that relate to your products and field and discover what questions people are asking. Write posts and articles that answer those questions. Short videos also work wonders for grabbing attention and getting comments that engage other viewers.

Without positive customer engagement, a company may never gain traction. Beneficial interactions add value to clients and keep your brand top of mind. Using the ideas presented here can get customers to interact with your brand, increase their loyalty, and grow your business.