Getting to know your customers can prove invaluable. By understanding your customers you’ll be better placed to anticipate their needs and provide them with a great product or service – meaning they’ll be more likely to come back again in the future.
To help you get to know your customers better, I’ve pulled together 5 simple tips for success:

1. Interact regularly

Face-to-face interactions are one of the most effective ways to get to know your customers. Whether it’s a meeting with a client, chatting during an appointment or hosting an event, getting face time with your customers is the best way to learn about their needs. Chatting face to face can provide a huge amount of insight into how customers feel about your product: what they love, where your brand fits into their lives, what you can do better and much more!

Of course, meeting customers face to face is easier for some businesses than others, but there are lots of other ways to interact. Many use Zoom Meetings and video calls to catch up with their clients, while social media channels have made business/customer conversations easier. Whatever your situation, finding a way to interact with your customers that’s right for you can provide a wealth of valuable information.

2. Get social

Social media platforms allow you to engage with both existing and prospective customers around the clock. Channels like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn allow brands to gather feedback, inform, entertain and offer support to their customers!

If you’re using social media to interact as a business, remember that it pays to be responsive and personal. Don’t be afraid to be on a first-name basis with your customers and be sure to respond to any feedback in a measured and helpful way, regardless of whether it’s positive or negative.

And don’t try to use them all if your target market isn’t there. Use the appropriate channels for your target market segments to maximise your efforts efficiently.

3. Value their opinion

People love to share their opinions so why not ask your customers for theirs? From simple conversations to Twitter polls, there are a huge number of ways to gather your customers’ opinions on your product or service, including:

• customer surveys and feedback forms (ideal for larger customer bases)
• conversations on social media
• comments on your blog
• interactions on online communities and forums
• Linkedin and Facebook poll

By asking your customers what they think, you can collect a range of valuable insights that should help you improve your product or service and keep your customers happy!

4. Host or attend events

If you run a business, hosting events can be a brilliant way to get to know your customer base. In addition to generating great opportunities for networking and creating a buzz around your company, hosting an event also allows you to get some valuable face-to-face time with customers.

Admittedly, putting on an event won’t always be feasible for some businesses. Even if you can’t host an event yourself though, trade shows and conferences in your industry can be a good way of networking and putting your brand in the minds of potential new customers – so get out there and start making an impression!

It can also be more economical and effective to attend trade shows, expos and conferences in order to collaborate with other resellers, distributors, wholesalers or people in your market space.

5. Show your customers some love

Showing your customers that you appreciate them can go a long way. Depending on your business, this might include sending out thank-you cards and seasonal messages, offering exclusive promotions and discounts or simply offering an amazing customer experience. Loyalty programmes, offers and personalised recommendations are all great ways of showing that you care, but nothing beats providing great customer service and building relationships!

Find out more about how Nextree keeps your customers to come back—meaning you will have to find fewer new customers: https://nextree.com.au/business-growth/