Are you trying to increase customer engagement, but are stuck for ideas? Technology advancements have unlocked more tools and avenues for driving customer engagement to increase sales and brand recognition. Fully engaged customers result in a 23% higher share of relationship growth, revenue, and profitability.
So how do you increase customer engagement? Start by using an omnichannel strategy because it’s proven to increase engagement by 75%. Visibility across multiple channels reinforces your brand message and provides various ways for customers to interact with your brand.
Want actionable advice to add more engagement with your customers? There are a few proven ways you can do it fast with a minimal amount of investment. Every brand can benefit from these additions through an increase in sales.
Release a mobile app
Building and releasing an app your audience can interact with offers numerous benefits. They are inexpensive to build and you can outsource the job to a company that provides ongoing support. Nowadays, customers expect brands to offer an app where they can buy products, learn about upcoming offers and read news. Here are a few reasons how apps can increase customer engagement:
Push notifications: these are messages that the app developer can send to smartphone users. It might be a notification when you get a new message or information about a new promotion that hits your store. They are an effective way of getting your audience to interact with your app regularly.
Convenience: Loading up an app through the push of a button is more convenient than searching for your website via a browser. That’s especially true if customers decide to place your app icon on their shortcut menu or their home screen. Giving customers a reason to return regularly increases the chances of habitual interaction.
Optimized experience: Apps are usually more user-friendly than their website counterparts for smartphone users. They are designed for mobile use and have the correct optimizations to provide a comfortable experience.
These are just a few of the several advantages of offering your app to customers. If you want to learn how to make an app so you have full control over the building process, you’ll find plenty of resources and training material. Taking on the challenge of building your app can be a rewarding process. You can install customizations that allow your business to stand out in a crowded marketplace.
Email nurture marketing
Engaging customers through email marketing is powerful if you take the right approach. Starting with emails that ask for the purchase may not be the best approach. Instead, focus on sending email marketing campaign messages that offer something of value. Here are a few ideas that are applicable to most businesses:
How-to emails: Are your products difficult to use? Then consider creating a step by step guide that informs your audience about how to use them. You can embed videos in your emails for instructional purposes. The how-to content can position you as an authority in your field.
News: For any industry, there is a constant release of news that audiences would find interested if they had convenient access. Be the gateway to those news stories and you’ll see a rise in email open rates.
Debunking myths: Are there myths and misconceptions surrounding your industry? Then use informative and factual emails to shed light on those myths. It’s a way to generate interest and spark debate among your audience.
Repurposed content: Do you have a blog full of valuable content? Then repurpose those blogs as emails. Place an intriguing section of the blog in the email and suggest that the complete version is on your website. It’s a way of increasing the ROI of creating content and giving customers a reason to visit your website.
Come up with your own content ideas to stand out from the emails your competitors might be sending. You should also focus on personalized emails, as they are an effective way to engage customers. You can add personalized mass emails with a name field, dynamic pictures and product recommendations which will make your customers feel more valued and will increase their trust in your brand.
Respond to comments
Get into the habit of responding to customer comments wherever it’s applicable. It might be the comments section of your blog articles or underneath social media posts. Brands that respond to comments increase the engagement rate – it’s important because 71% of customers that have a positive experience with a brand are likely to recommend it to a friend.
Responding to comments is a time-consuming task. However, don’t take shortcuts by leaving bland messages that add no value. Instead, leave thoughtful comments that reflect the values of your brand. You can hire a customer service team to leave comments on your behalf. Highlight that communication must portray your brand since comments can be the first point of contact for many new customers.
New medium experimentation
Utilizing the same communication channels can get bland for customers – especially if your competition is constantly innovating their approach. Your message may have value but if it’s not communicated engagingly, then it might not be well-received by your audience.
Experiment with new mediums such as animated bite-sized video clips, infographics, virtual reality, video tutorials, product demonstrations, downloadable PDFs, and personalized emails. You don’t have to invent a new communication method – simply mixing it up can have the desired effect of higher engagement.
Final Thoughts
Engaging your customers is an important prerequisite to selling as brand identity and messaging is becoming an increasingly important aspect of the shopping experience. Start by providing value and empathize with what problem the customer is trying to solve. Once you’ve established some trust or goodwill, then generating the sale will be easier.
Releasing a mobile app, email nurture marketing, responding to comments and experimenting with new mediums will significantly improve your engagement rate with customers. However, this is just a starting point. You should constantly look for new ways to interact with them. Audiences love innovation and a format change, so you’ll need to keep an eye out for new trends to keep them happy.
