Most local business owners think that the most important thing for the survival of their businesses is making sure that they bring new customers all the time.
Even though this is important, it is not the only thing that dictates the success of a business.
Local business owners should also focus on keeping the customers that they already have. This can be done through effective customer engagement.
Customer engagement entails the process through which business owners create relationships with their customers. This involves the different mechanisms used when connecting with the customers.
Creative Customer Engagement Ideas
Games with Customers
Depending on the business you are running, you can choose to introduce several games that can play a crucial role in engaging with your customers.
Games not only provide customer engagement but also feedback. Every time customers engage in games at your business, they get entertained and come back for more. They also leave feedback on different aspects of your business.
You can evaluate this feedback to improve how you run your business and contribute to its growth.
Those running businesses in the hospitality industry such as bars can implement different bar games to persuade their customers to spend more time in their bars, meaning that they (customers) also spend more.
This increases customer feedback and engagement, something that is important for the growth of local businesses.
Offering Incentives and Rewards
Business owners can use incentives and rewards when looking for customer loyalty. Customers tend to be loyal to businesses that meet their expectations and understand what they want.
It, therefore, means that local businesses should find a way to offer something like royalty programs to reward such customers. Some customers might be frequent customers only because they have not found another business doing what you do.
You need to find a way of rewarding these customers to ensure that even when facing stiff competition, they remain to be your loyal customers.
Depending on your business, you can include things like invites for events, early access, VIP treatment, and discounts to ensure that these customers remain loyal. This way, you will keep your existing customers, attract new ones, and contribute to the growth of your business.
Proper Use of Social Media Platforms
Social media platforms such as Instagram are very effective when it comes to customer engagement. Today, there are over two billion social media profiles around the world, something that offers a large market to all businesses.
Local businesses can use different social media platforms to connect with their customers to boost customer satisfaction. The platforms ensure that local businesses can build a rapport with their customers and connect with each one of them personally.
Through proper use of social media platforms, businesses can promote their products, offer discounts, respond to any questions from their customers, promote events, and get insights into what their customers want. This is vital for the growth of businesses.
Engage Your Silent Customers
Every business has that customer who came in, bought something, and left without ever coming back again. Other customers might have made inquiries either online or on phone but did not make any purchase. These are silent but potential customers.
Local business owners can engage with these customers to thank them for any purchases that they made or to follow up on their inquiries. Most of these customers will be elated with the fact that you acknowledge them and chances are that they will come back.
However, ensure that you do not sound desperate. All you need to do is maybe send a thank you for your business email or text and then leave it at that. This will contribute a lot to the growth of your business.
Customer Feedback
Finally, one important aspect of customer engagement is listening. Customer feedback is important and allows business owners to improve their products and services in a bid to build excitement and trust in their businesses.
Business owners can do this through surveys and ask a couple of questions to their customers. Using the responses, they (business owners) can see what their customers want and evaluate the things that they need to do to ensure that the customers are happy.
This way, they are going to retain their customers, improve their sales, and help their businesses grow.
Customer engagement is vital for the survival of businesses. Following the ideas discussed above, local businesses owners can improve sales and grow their businesses without any problems.
