A happy customer is the best marketing tool you can find, especially if they’re so happy they become a raving fan. Raving fans will not only continue to pay you for your service or product, but they’ll also tell other people about your business—whether that be by referring their friends, leaving a review on Google, or promoting your business on social media.
But how do you go about turning your customers into raving fans? In this post we go over 3 customer marketing strategies, but they all come down to one thing: delighting your customers.
Provide outstanding customer service
Think about your own experiences you’ve had with different businesses. Friendly, genuine customer service always leaves a better impression than the opposite and likely has impacted your buying decisions. In fact, 33% of customers say they’ll consider switching companies after just one instance of poor service. Consider a few more customer service facts:
- Customers tell an average of 15 people about a poor service experience and 11 people about a good experience.
- 93% of customers are likely to make repeat purchases with a company that offers excellent customer service.
- 64% of customers believe customer experience is more important than price when deciding whether to make a purchase with a brand or not.
Providing customer service that exceeds expectations takes some time and effort, but it’s truly one of the best ways to turn customers into fans who want to come back and refer other customers.
Ask your customers for feedback
Asking a customer for feedback after they’ve made a purchase will make them feel like their opinion is valued, and you’ll gain insight into what your customers want from your business. The key to getting insightful feedback is asking the right questions. Make your questions specific enough to encourage non-vague answers but open-ended enough that your customer has the freedom to answer more than just yes or no. Some examples of good questions to ask your customers include:
- Why did you choose to do business with us?
- What service did we perform for you?
- How would you rate the service we provided?
- In what areas did we meet or exceed your expectations?
- How can we improve?
- Would you recommend us to others?
If your customer has unmet expectations, you’ll learn what you can do differently next time. If you have a happy customer who says they’re likely to recommend you, this would be the right time to ask them to refer your business or leave a review. The easiest way to get customer reviews is to ask! You may even consider setting up some kind of referral program or offering an incentive for leaving a review.
Offer customers an authentic experience
How are you different from your competition down the street? Identify what strengths and differences you bring to the table and tap into them. Providing outstanding customer service and asking your customers for feedback sets the foundation for an authentic brand, but to really connect with customers you need to take it a step further. You have to be real.
Is there a cause you care about? Consider showing your customers how you support that cause, and invite them to get involved. After all, 52% of customers actively consider company values when making a purchase (that percentage is even higher for Millennial customers).
Another way to be authentic is to be transparent. Transparency leads to trust, and customers who trust your company are more likely to remain loyal. Share your story and vision with your customers. A unique advantage local businesses have over corporations is the ability to focus more on their customers. If you focus on delighting the people who make running your business possible, the customer referrals and reviews will come rolling in.
