How to create an authentic organisation that your ideal customers will love to engage with.
A handbook on creating raging followers and (not) dealing with shit!
Boom! Blog number 2! I'm actually being consistent in this! Who would have guessed that?
80% of businesses believe they are providing a superior customer service experience. Only 8% of customers agree! With this blog post, I want to help you to truly engage with your customers. This is a guide on listening, being you, celebrating good moments and dealing with all kinds of shit. A manual to create firing fans that will defend your brand to death. Or maybe a level under that! 😅
The different ways of communicating with your customers have exploded in today's world. The invention of mobile phones and the internet, make it possible to talk anywhere anytime. This makes it easier to be closer to your client base. At the same time, it makes it very hard to keep an overview. This article shows you how to keep both in perfect balance without bending yourself backwards.
Table of Content:
1_The power of a (dis)like.
2_Relax! You got this.
3_You be You.
4_It's ok to say no!
5_It's all about expectations.
6_Share success.
7_You can not be everywhere 24/7.
8_It's time to let the robots take over!
9_Ok! That did not go well. What now?
10_It's not me. It's you.
1_The power of a (dis)like.
The twenty-first-century customer is a spoiled child. The Karens* of this world expect you to jump as soon as they are dissatisfied with something. They are dissatisfied a lot, unfortunately! People act like their opinion is more important than scientists'. Furthermore, the modern consumer has a bigger urge to spread their opinion all over the internet and use it to gain status, perceiving a like as a type of currency.
*For those who are not familiar with what I mean with the therm Karen, please click on the photo for more information.
The fact is that a 'like' is a powerful thing and a dislike is even more so. Not only in business but also personal. People worry about being liked. Or actually afraid of being disliked. For organisations, the same rules apply. A good review can accelerate sales, a bad review can shut your operation down. This influences the way we do business greatly.
2_Relax! You got this.
Important to realise is that you have a great influence on achieving a well-liked brand. Essential is to understand yourself and understand your client base. To make people feel heard and at the same time staying true to yourself.
To better understand your (potential) buyers. Check out our guide on building buyer personas by clicking this link.
The key here is setting expectations and to consistently fulfil these expectations. Why? This digital age makes us feel more insecure than ever. That's why it's nice to know what you can anticipate from one and another. And to feel safe enough to be yourself.
3_You be You!
People can smell fake from far far away! Don't try to be someone you are not or be larger than life. Stop repeating that same old sales pitch or identically approach a phone call over and over again. Keep yourself fresh to avoid becoming a parrot.
How? Be authentic. Show genuine interest in your (potential) buyer. Treat every customer different. Your customer appreciates that a lot. Instead of trying to just figure out how you can sell something to someone, find out why this person is looking for a solution. What drives them in life? How do they expect your product or service to fulfil their wish?
4_It’s ok to say no!
A big issue in losing clients or pissing off people is by overselling yourself. But why do we do this? Usually because of the fear of losing an opportunity or a like. Trust me, saying no pays off in the long run. Sometimes it's better to walk away from a deal.
Instead, act as a helpful guide. Refer someone in your network and maybe get a referral back in the future. Maybe suggest another solution to this person and create a happy face.
5_It’s all about expectations.
Another big part of getting people to like you is by always being transparent and communicating openly and honestly. This creates an environment of trust and collaboration. A safe place where it's ok to fuck up. And be on-point while you do that. Interact fast and be agile to move in a certain direction to meet expectations.
Make sure you instantly answer your client. You don't have to come up with a solution right away, but just a personal note that you received their message. That's something most modern CRM's can help you with. Important is that you communicate when somebody can expect feedback from you. And don't forget to cross-check expectations. Ask your client if what you propose, is actually what he expects.
If you need help with finding tools or a CRM that help you communicate fast & agile, please reach out to me:
Some examples on how to exceed expectations:
Write a personal message and add it to an order;
Hand out some branded give-aways like a sticker or a branded bag;
Personally reach out to a client to ask for feedback;
“Never forget: Everything takes time & consistency!”
6_Share Success.
What was the last milestone in your professional life? Did you share it with someone? When was the last time you send a personal message to congratulate a customer? One of the most important things in creating happy customers is to celebrate success. Yours or theirs. We tend to forget to do so in our lives and only focus on what we can improve.
First of all, it’s important to understand the moments to celebrate. For that, you need an elephants brain. Or a good CRM. It's relatively easy to get a state-of-the-art client management tool for your organisation. One that makes it easy to register these special moments. A tool that can make you set up a loyalty program to reward returning customers.
“Every time you celebrate a moment or congratulate a client you can hand out a coupon or a discount. This is the perfect moment to convert your followers into buyers again.”
If you would like to know more about how to set up this for your organisation, please feel free to set up a video chat. I'm happy to help!
““You can do anything, but not everything.”
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7_You can not be everywhere 24/7.
Let's face facts. There are more communication channels available than we need. But we believe that we have to be present on every channel and generate as much content as possible. But unless you want to waste your time on 'non-tent', it’s more useful to define which means of communication are relevant for your business and your customers.
First of all, you need to understand the platforms your clients are using. How? By asking them and creating buyer personas.
Check out our guide on building buyer personas here.
8_It's time to let the robots take over!
After that, it is important to build your communication eco-system. How? By using communication tools & technology.
We have already talked about CRM, where you store all your customer-related information in one place
Connect it to a ticketing system. This can keep all your customer-related topics and issues in one clear overview.
Finally, you can use Marketing Automation tools:
To automate the easiest of communication;
To link your Facebook Messenger with your webshop to give live information;
To use a chatbot on your website to answer easy questions;
And there are many more options…
It is important to know that everybody has a specific situation. There is not: one size fits all in this case. But please feel free to reach out, we are happy to look at your situation.
9_Ok! That did not go well. What now?
Of course, we fuck up from time to time. Nobody is perfect! But what do you do when shits hits the fan and your fan is turning into a raging enemy? Timing is essential. It's important to respond fast. Strike your customer immediately with understanding, a big load of kindness and the right amount of empathy.
How do you react?
#1 Rule: Respond fast. Every second you wait, just puts fuel to the rage.
Apologise, even when you are right. Just do it!
Make them feel like you care and want to help them with their issue.
Repeat their feedback and ask if you have understood it correctly.
Explain how you want to help and which steps you want to take.
Check if the solution you are offering is also what is expected from you.
10_It's not me. It's you.
But let us also face facts. You can do everything right, but sometimes you also have to let go of a situation or a customer. The important thing is to know when to let go. You can not please everyone and not every buyer is a match made in heaven. Especially when this person is a Karen! Don't be afraid to walk away from a deal or deny a client. If you feel you have given it your all, but it fucks with your values. Stop! Just walk away.
“A hard no makes room for an easy yes.”
It is important to understand how you can make your customers happy and treat them the way they deserve. To go that extra mile and to make them love you forever. But don't let them ever bring you down to much. Create an environment of respect and open communication.
“Remember one thing: It takes more the effort to find a new buyer, then have a returning happy customer.”
Thank you very much for reading! If you would like to leave a comment at the bottom, please do so. I would love your feedback.
With Love,
Riccardo Straccia
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