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A global study reveals that customers today are more informed, savvy, and selective when it comes to choosing brands. Buyer trends indicate that the winning companies are those who treat their customers with respect, attentive service, and work to build long-lasting relationships.
Whether you’re new to the entrepreneurial game or not, most people know that having great interpersonal skills with customers is key to running a successful business. The adage “the customer is always right” may not necessarily be the truest statement of all time, but company leaders should remember that every customer wants to feel valued.
And chances are, your product or service is being sold by a hundred other people. Social media marketing has given buyers access to research, compare, and select products across several devices, all at once. The need for manual selling isn’t as imperative; customers can simply pick and choose products based on what they read and observe.
Unfortunately, this puts many companies at risk of drowning in the “sea of sameness,” and business owners are failing to create strategies that will consistently attract customers.
So, how do you make your brand float to the top?
The answer lies with the customer experience.
The Customer Experience Is Your Product
Make no mistake: We are living in an experience economy.
In the past, economists have grouped the customer experience with services. However, experiences are a distinct offering in and of themselves. Customers are no longer pining for the hottest new product on the market; they’re looking for valuable moments, meaningful opportunities, and once-in-a-lifetime encounters founded on care and trust.
Data from the Salesforce State of the Connected Customer survey states that 80% of customers agree that the customer experience is just as important, if not more so, as the product or service being sold.
Dan McCarty, CEO of Infusion for Health, offers his key takeaway on the transition to the experience economy. “The process of giving a pitch, landing a sale, and moving on to the next customer is an outdated way of selling. Now, customers crave connection. They crave meaning. They crave an experience. They don’t want to feel like they’re simply being pandered to for the sake of making a sale — they want to feel like they’re a contributing member to the company’s mission.”
McCarty continues, “Particularly in my line of business, ensuring the customer is comfortable and cared for is a top priority. So for us, the customer experience is our product. We’re not just selling services, we’re selling experiences — and the more meaningful, valuable, and high-quality that experience, the more likely customers are to become loyal clients.”
Growing Brand Awareness Coincides With the Customer Experience
It’s been established: The more memorable the customer experience, the more a customer will be inclined to continue doing business with you. However, what many business owners fail to notice are that those returning customers will be their most valuable asset in increasing brand awareness.
Put simply, brand awareness is the act of informing as many people as possible about your brand and products or services. The best brand awareness campaigns aren’t just witty one-liners and salesy call-to-actions. They give meaning to your product and offer a glimpse into who you are as an organization.
That opens a door to building a connection — what’s the story behind the product? The customer may not make an immediate purchase, but because they feel connected to the story, they’re now interested in the brand and can build an ongoing relationship.
Today, people don’t buy products solely for their function; customers are buying the story that the brand is telling about the product. The customer experience is defined by all of the touch-points — such as your website, email marketing, social media, SEO, etc. — a person has with your business. A great experience stirs loyalty and advocacy, and advocacy generates increased brand awareness.
Personalization Is a Priority
In a world where nearly everything is heavily commercialized, consumers are looking for a brand and product that’s authentic and unique. However, authentic marketing isn’t so easy to conquer; according to Social Media Today, 92% of marketers believe their marketing strategies are received as authentic; meanwhile, 51% of consumers say the opposite.
Today, big, splashy advertisements aren’t the way to go; the key to establishing brand authenticity is creating a personalized customer experience. Especially coming off the heels of a global pandemic, people feel more isolated than ever. Your company can still automate messages and offers, but it’s important to remember they should be targeted.
Creating a personal, meaningful experience for customers is crucial to your brand’s long-term success.
Preparing Your Customer Experience Strategy
Developing a great customer experience isn’t something that can be easily replicated. Growing consumer expectations and demands make it difficult for businesses to deliver outstanding customer experiences consistently.
To succeed, it will take a lot of research and reorganization. Find out who your current consumer base is, determine your vision, goals, and core values, analyze competitors in your market, and align that data with potential customer experience opportunities.
Whatever strategies your business lands on, keep in mind that the customer experience isn’t something set in stone — it’s an evolving process. Changing consumer behavior, market trends, new competition, and new technology can all factor into your customer experience strategy.
Using customer feedback will serve as a great tool to show you how well you’re doing. Then, as you optimize your strategies, you can build enduring relationships that convert new buyers into loyal customers.
