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5 min read

Ways to Get to Know your Customer in the Digital Era

6/12/20 3:30 PM

Customer making a digital purchase on her iPad in a coffee shop

No successful business owner has ever said “I wish I knew less about my customers”, when customers are the lifeblood of any business. Despite the challenges of this social distancing era, there are a myriad of ways to understand and connect with current and potential clients in ways that can help your business grow.

If you want to know more about them, certain digital marketing techniques can help you gauge their interests and find out how to get them to keep coming back.

Analyze this

One way of getting to know your customers is through analytics. Analytics can help you understand what marketing strategy is working best. The data that analytics provides can be invaluable in determining trends in your approach. A lot of companies use Google analytics for invaluable data. You can see customers by gender, race, age, interests, etc.

This can help you both customize and personalize your marketing plan to reach certain demographics. Social media analytics can also help you learn a lot from your customers and improve your social media strategy. You can see which campaigns are working, which aren’t, and what is the best approach to take. Speaking of social media…

Get social

In the digital era social media is the best way to get social. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are the three most popular platforms and all offer ways to get in touch with the customer. They offer scheduling options so you can schedule social media posts ahead of time. You can create and track certain hashtags to see how often they are posted and shared. Digital PR can be used to release statements and promote products and services.

Social media also allows your customers to get in touch with you so that you can start a dialogue with them. You can also use it to improve your customer service. Your customer needs to feel like their voice is heard.  If they aren't heard in a timely manner, they are more likely not to use your business again. Good customer service, however, will bring them back.

Grab your audience

Engaging digital content is one of the best ways to get to know your customers. Videos, blog articles, and even memes can get you immediate responses from them.

With the right kinds of video across your website you can grow and nurture your online audience too. Just make sure your content is informational or entertaining since that will allow you to host new customers to interact with while improving brand awareness.

What’s the incentive?

Some customers don’t want to take a survey. Who wants to sit and answer a bunch of questions? However, some people are happy to share their opinions if there is something for them in return. In exchange for their time, try to offer them an incentive. You can offer them something like a discount for future purchases. This is a great option because it gets them back in with your business and you get the information you need from them.

It’s also important to make the surveys as easy as possible for customers to complete. Including a link on the company website or emailing a survey invitation are just two possibilities. You might want to tell them how long or short it will be so they will know what to expect. Surveys can help you get the consumer insights you need directly.

Be a good host

Another great way to reach out to customers is through event marketing. We’ve talked a little about it before but hosting events can get you some in person time with your customers and allow you to get some of their insights. These can be things like Q&As or meet and greets.

Hosting virtual events and webinars can also allow you and your customers to communicate with each other. That way each of your needs can be met. Events allow you to understand your audience in a way that goes beyond analytics and surveys. You can also tailor different events for different types of customers so that every demographic feels represented. Events are a great way to increase customer engagement while also getting to know them better.

Be welcoming

Everyone wants to feel welcome. As soon as someone signs up for your newsletter or makes a purchase, send them a welcome email. This is a great way to begin a new relationship with your customers. Introduce yourself and let them know that you want to hear from them.

An easy way to do this is by using a personalized email account in the sender field; not a "do not reply" address. By giving your readers useful and personalized information in the emails, they're inclined to learn more and click through to your website. Be the good host.  Welcome emails can set the stage for your customer relationship. By being a good host, you're establishing the foundation for a lasting relationship. Putting a name behind your customer service humanizes your brand, which boosts engagement. More engagement means more brand awareness and increased word of mouth.

There are multiple digital marketing strategies to get to know your customer. Study your customer but get to know them as well. Be personable and make them feel heard. Give them something for their business and time. Who doesn’t like a reward for their loyalty? Customers want to feel the humanity behind a business and brand. If you do it correctly or you lean on a specialized digital marketing agency, your customers will be more than customers and your interaction will be mutually beneficial.

Jakob Muller
Written by Jakob Muller

Jakob is a freelance writer who excels at writing content in the marketing, digital, and social media realms.

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