Thursday 21st of April 2022
Customer is the king for every big or small business. They are the key to success as they bring t
...he desired foot traffic and sales. Most thriving b...
Customer is the king for every big or small business. They are the key to success as they bring the desired foot traffic and sales. Most thriving brands have been able to achieve their goals because of exemplary customer service. The interactions with the target audience are of utmost importance as they lay down the foundation for engagement, which plays an instrumental role in developing customer loyalty and retention.
Thus, if you are planning to purchase a business for sale in South Africa, you need to know your customers in the most comprehensive manner. It gives the entrepreneur an insight into the needs and wants of the buyers and allow the creation of a unique selling proposition. It helps in understanding the ways of meeting the expectations of the customers and satisfying them adequately. So, here is a list of seven ways of knowing your customers.
Social media is the biggest drawcard that can be leveraged for customer engagement. With a growing number of social media users in the country, utilising this platform is the easiest way to reach the target audience. While traditional advertising was able to send out messages from the marketers to the consumers, social media platforms allow two-way communication. Brands can interact with present and prospective buyers through this cost-effective medium that requires only an internet connection and computer.
It offers the best way of getting to know the location, age group, gender, educational background, occupation, likes, dislikes, desires, needs, and preferences of the target audience. Marketers can ask for feedback, answer questions, start discussions, resolve grievances, and provide instant support to make the customers feel important. Social media has helped in bridging the gap and bringing the buyers and sellers close to each other. Thus, using this tool to understand the audience is the right way to grow.
Surveys are an important part of market research. Most marketers utilise them to get feedback from customers about a product or service. If the consumers are not ready to fill out the forms, you can ask a few questions or offer free samples to lure them. It helps in gaining an insight into the perspective of the buyers and what they expect from the offerings.
It enables the marketers to understand the gap in their service and the needs of the customers. They can also get valuable suggestions to make improvements in the products and services that help them to retain clients. Surveys also make the customers feel important and a part of the marketing strategy.
Developing customer personas help the business owner to understand their target audience, comprising of current and prospective buyers. It helps in identifying their likes, dislikes, buying preferences, shopping methods, purchasing problems, etc. With the help of the persona, the marketer is better equipped to reach the customers as they can personalise the communication. The brand can use the preferred channel, style of communication and a tailored message to get the information across.
Thus, the advertising budget is not wasted, and the marketer is able to create highly targeted messages. Also, personalisation of communication helps in building a rapport with the customers and boosting loyalty.
Marketers need to start a dialogue through various touchpoints to know them better. Whether it is striking up a conversation with the customers at the shop or cold calling prospective buyers, the customer care representatives must try to build a relationship. They must ask for the name and details of the customers and talk about their buying experience and how they can make it better.
The support staff must be polite, friendly, and congenial to win over the customers and make them feel comfortable, welcomed, and noticed. They must be able to connect with the target buyers and identify their needs to provide them with solutions and products that will satisfy them. If the customer feels lost and disconnected from the brand, they will automatically deviate to competitors. Thus, whether it is a live chat app, email marketing, direct messaging or face-to-face selling, the customer support and sales team must engage with the customers.
Meet and greet events have been used by marketers in the past, but now they can be used to create an experience that stays with the customers. Most automotive companies use events to deliver experiential campaigns that allow customers to test drive and sit inside the cars. These days some companies use virtual campaigns to allow customers to feel that they are actually using the product. The reactions of the customers at the event and their feedback help the marketer to determine the satisfaction levels of the target audience.
Many virtual campaigns, which allow the customers to become a part of the promotions help in generating a positive emotion in the buyers. They become connected with the brand and feel associated with it. The immersive experience helps in creating customer loyalty and acquiring new customers. These promotional events are a platform for improving engagement and forging solid ties with the customer base.
While getting feedback can appear tough in normal circumstances because of the busy routine of buyers, asking for reviews and ratings online is an easier task. Since most people are hooked to digital platforms and use search engines to find products and compare them, ratings and reviews are a necessity. Also, these should be genuine as customers can easily catch the promotional reviews.
Thus, when you ask for ratings and reviews, you get to know what the customers feel about the product, how they are making recommendations for it and why they are dissatisfied. The negative reviews must be addressed at the earliest to save the image of the brand and present excellent customer service.
There is no better way of knowing your customers than starting a loyalty scheme. It allows you to identify your repeat buyers and reward them for making them stay. The rewards include special discounts, coupons, freebies, etc. Most brands utilise this strategy to find out more than the contact details of the clients. It allows them to know about their birthdays, anniversaries and helping them make it special with customised products.
Loyal customers also act as brand ambassadors and help in bringing more customers through word-of-mouth publicity. They are advocates of the company who can bring referrals and get incentivised for it.
Conclusion
Understanding customers cannot happen overnight. It needs a lot of research, communication, and marketing efforts. Thus, if you are planning to purchase a business for sale in South Africa, you must make use of the ways of knowing your customers to stay ahead of the competition.
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