Showing your customers that you care is crucial for any small business. It’s what keeps them coming back to you and the reason they recommend you to others. With the rise of online shopping, people can now shop around, read reviews, and check out different prices all without having to deal with an actual salesperson.

So how do you entice your customers when you may not ever come face to face with them?

Surprise them

Everyone likes to be made to feel special once in a while. Make your customers feel special by surprising them with exclusive Facebook fan sales or other online freebies. If possible, sending out a personalised message or offer on special occasions such as a birthday is a nice touch that will leave a lasting impression.

Listen to them

Let your customers know you hear them by responding to their comments and thanking them when they share yours. By being a brand that pays attention to its customers, you’ll turn those that shop with you into long-term fans.

Share their stories

People like hearing whether others enjoy products or services, so ask customers who love using your product to craft a short testimonial. It could be in written form or in video format, which is incredibly powerful. You can feature this on your website or share on your social media page which could in turn give the customer or their business some exposure.

Build their trust

It is very important to follow through on your promises especially on things like your shipping timeline and privacy policies. If you’re not completely sure you can follow through don’t tell your customers you can. It’s much better to surprise someone by delivering early than to set your customers up for disappointment.

Stay in touch

Not long after purchasing a product people start to forget about the experience so it’s important to think of ways to stay in the front of their minds. Some ways that businesses do this successfully is by sending out surveys asking about the customer’s experience or asking them to rate your product/ service. You can also craft an e-newsletter that connects you with your customers monthly, letting them know important industry information or about new products you might have.

If you have some other tips for connecting with your customers please let us know below!