In a world with seemingly endless choices and options to choose from, customer communication can make a real difference to increasing the profile and sustainability of your brand. In this short article we will discuss the various channels of communication that are essential in creating and maintaining a strong relationship with your customer base.
It may seem obvious, but in the midst of the many channels on social media and multifaceted communication options available, your website homepage can easily be overlooked. But this is the first place customers will actively come to check out new information, to see what your current status quo is and if they should bother dropping by or not. At times of significant development or change in your local society or business market, your homepage is the perfect place to display an announcement or update - keep it succinct, clear and on point, formatting and placement is also important - larger fonts, eye-catching backgrounds and the top of the page are the key factors in ensuring your homepage is conveying the most relevant information quickly and clearly.
Social media has become a central source of information for millions of people around the globe, and in your local community. As well as posting updates to your business services - this could be anything from new products or services to a temporary closure or restricted opening hours - always make sure that your status is set to ‘public’ and can be shared on Facebook, retweeted on Twitter, and commented on on Instagram. Once you have posted the status update, make sure notifications are turned on for the post so you can see and react to any comments or conversations that take place on your original post. This is a great opportunity for bilateral communication, and can really make customers feel personally empathetic towards your brand and company.
Many small businesses have already taken the key step of creating a newsletter subscription list and appealing for new and repeat customers to join their list. If you haven’t already, this is a great way to keep in touch with your customers, and can be adapted to your ever-changing business circumstances. Written with valuable information and in an easy to read tone, newsletters can be a great way to keep your customers up to date with the latest - under normal circumstances they can be set to a timed interval (weekly, monthly), and under special conditions can be sent out in response to a situation or crisis.
Other forms of Email communication include process emails that are often set up to be automatically generated after a sale or inquiry is made. These emails are great - but make sure you revisit them regularly to make sure the information is still current, perhaps delivery time frames have changed or a new tracking link is available to your customers. Moreover, utilizing a virtual phone system can further enhance this dynamic by enabling seamless global business expansion with the help of advanced communication tools, fostering stronger connections with online customers and reinforcing their sense of safety and value in your services.
With these three main channels you can not only create a great strategy for communication with your customers, but also maintain it in times of change and upheaval. Customers value the personal touch, and simply sharing information from a personal level can be the best way to create an open, transparent and trustworthy communication.