It should come as no surprise that consumers make
the bulk of their purchasing decisions based on emotion vs. any kind of
rational calculation—and more emotionally engaged customers will probably
recommend a company, product or service more often. This doesn't
necessarily mean you have to pull at the heart strings through your marketing
(although it wouldn't hurt), but rather identify impactful ways to make
meaningful connections. And small businesses have the size and agility to do
this well.
A
good place to start is a thorough review of your customer service—online and
offline. By viewing your procedures, processes and general contact from a
customer's point of view, you can make simple changes that enable the
development of a much stronger bond. Consider every touchpoint as part of their
experience, and think about how that experience might be improved.
- Are you
missing opportunities to develop a common bond?
- Is your staff
empowered to provide service on an individual basis?
- Does your
staff use humor, compassion and empathy?
- Are you
really listening and acting on customer feedback—before, during and after
a touchpoint? (This includes online and automated interactions.)
Without
a significant connection to your business, customers could be easily swayed by
any number of marketing maneuvers from competitors, large and small. Take time
to look at the human side of service, and unearth opportunities to make the
most of customer contact.
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