Dale Carnegie said it best: “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”
Attracting new customers and retaining existing ones requires more than simply pushing out marketing messages and waiting for results. Consumers are drawn to companies who genuinely care about their needs, and are constantly asking them what they want. Incorporate humanized methods to find these consumers, and keep them for a lifetime.
1. Adopt an efficient content marketing strategy. Inbound marketing has become a buzzword among brands and marketers, creating a need for well thought-out content marketing initiatives. This method is a way for your brand to communicate with both your industry and consumers, to identify your unique customer profile.
While developing your content marketing strategy, think of how you can relate your product or service with the consumer’s personal life. What value are you bringing to the table? How does your product streamline their daily lives?
Using varied types of content not only engages the prospective customer, but also establishes your brand as an expert in your niche. Videos, graphics, typography and photos are just a few ways you can mix up your blog and social content. Visual-centric social platforms such as Pinterest, Instagram and Vine make this easier to communicate with users.
2. Hire a community manager. How do you keep your customers involved with your brand? Give them someone they can communicate with on a regular basis. A community manager is your first line of defense for finding out what your customers like and don’t like about your product or service. This is an invaluable role and a huge benefit to your brand.
Find someone who is both passionate about your brand and about helping other people. This role not only builds trust with your customer base, but offers them empathy, expertise, and relatability. It also provides you with firsthand knowledge of what your customers are thinking, and how you can improve your products and services for them.
3. Cultivate active and engaging social profiles. Where do your customers hang out online? Go there. What are they sharing with their networks? Participate in these conversations. How are they interacting with your brand online? Respond to them. Give them the best possible experience. Keep the relationship exciting with benefits such as deals, free products and exclusive offers. This can be in the form of online only coupons, onsite giveaways, and e-mail-focused campaigns.
Develop meaningful conversations with them via social media. Provide them with thought-provoking ideas and charitable opportunities. Solve a problem for them, answer their questions, thank them for doing business with you, connect with them on common interests.
Consumers want to feel that you care about them. Show them with more personal communication with them through your blog, employees and social profiles. This will set a good example for other brands in your niche, and allow you to gain loyal customers.
photo credit: Anne Bloom/one love via photopin cc