Building a Loyal Audience for your Business
There are many ways to grow a business and produce sales, but growing a loyal following is by far one of the best marketing plans you can employ. Not only will your loyal customers share your work and buy your products/services, you will increase sales and bring greater significance to your work. Trying to get people to notice your business can be an overwhelming task, so it’s much easier to start with one thing and do it consistently. Once that is working, you can try something else and slowly build up your marketing strategies. We have a few tricks of the trade that you can try - you’ll be amazed at the response rate.
Be Human
When you post your product listings online, go ahead and list all the product details, but don’t leave it dry. Make sure to show yourself to your customers and bring some personality. Customers are much more likely to buy something if they can feel a connection. There are a few ways to go about this:
- Write your descriptions as if you are talking to a friend
- Tell the story of how your product came to be
- Post pictures
Be Helpful
People tend to buy products because it can help them in someway. Whether the product helps them complete a project or gives them knowledge they didn’t have before, you can always add more value by helping your customers.
- Include easy to follow instructions
- Post videos on YouTube or Vimeo that help people use your products correctly
- Create a gallery that will show customers how to use your product or post pictures of how others have used your product.
Be Available
When you receive comments from customers (good or bad), RESPOND! Make the effort to respond to every message you receive - it will go a long way in making a positive impression. If the comment is positive, the tendency can be to give yourself kudos, but leave the message alone. Don’t do that! Take the time to express your appreciation and offer any further assistance if needed. If the comment was negative, take time to address the issue and correct the mistake. Customers appreciate when businesses actually listen to their complaints and do whatever they can to remedy the situation. That is great customer service!
Product Creation
Find it hard to come up with new products or ideas? Simply ask your customers. They love to give their input and it will not only help you with new ideas, but it will make your customers invested in the product. You can post the question on Facebook or Twitter and watch the responses flood in. You can also set up a simple survey and share the link or create a discussion forum.
Reward Your Most Loyal Customers
Let’s face it, without customers, you would have no business. It’s time to think about ways you can say thank you. You can give your customers special deals to let them know that you value them and appreciate not only their business, but when they take the time to leave comments and reviews, and let others know what an awesome business you have.
- Offer up early bird discounts for buying early
- Set up a giveaway. For those who buy in the first 24 or 48 hours may receive a free gift with purchase.
- As a thank you for a purchase, include future discounts on their next purchase
Basically it all boils down to treating your customers with respect and investing time to respond to them. When a customer sees that you actually take the time to write thoughtful responses to their praises or problems, it shows that you value them and truly want their opinions in order to make your business better. It also doesn’t hurt to throw in the occasional freebie in order to keep those customers coming back. Remember, start with one thing at a time to gain customer support and build up from there. Good luck!