Having a lengthy client list is every business owner’s dream, but it brings some additional complications. How do you keep track of your clients and what they need from you? You have probably tried more than one technique to stay on top of things and manage customer preferences.
One way to keep your customers happy is to deploy a shopper-centric approach. To do this, you need information about them and their preferences. Here are six tips to help you track these valuable resources.
Be transparent
Customers are not eager to share too much information with you because of the horror stories they hear on the news about leaked data, hacks, and sales of data to third parties without consumer consent. If you ask for too much information at once, you might scare them off.
Your best approach is to be transparent about how you collect data and what purpose it serves. Explain to customers in simple terms that you gather information to help them access more information about products that could make their lives easier. Also, indicate that you do not intend to sell their data or share it with others without their consent.
Consumers now expect transparency when it comes to how their details are used. Do not leave it to your privacy page where much of the language is packed with jargon that clients might not understand.
Use efficient software
You cannot spend too much time managing client preferences manually when you could automate the process. Among the marketing tools for startups, you should consider customer relationship management (CRM) software.
CRM software keeps track of your contacts, whether they are current clients, potential customers, or leads that could generate additional sales. It can even include their preferences for correspondence from you, such as subscribing to an email newsletter or marketing campaigns. Customers can also express how often they want to hear from you.
As per custom essay papers, many CRM solutions exist, catering to a small business model, which is ideal for the startup phase. You can migrate your customer information database in its current form into CRM software. Choose CRM software based on what it offers, the cost, and room for business growth.
Get that information
Obtaining and storing information is your goal, but you need to accomplish it without coming on too strong. Therefore, you need to set about the process without being overly aggressive. Customers do not like it when companies become downright creepy and ask for loads of details about their lives.
Make your approach subtle enough to keep customers at ease and make them want to share information with you. Start with a pop-up window that asks for their name and email address when they visit your website. Now you can add them to your mailing list and find out more about them, their needs, and their preferences.
Follow up with emails about your product or service and why you think it will solve a problem or pain they experience. Use the analytics from email marketing software to see if they open these emails and how they respond. This is valuable data from which you can infer their preferences without being too direct.
Use surveys
Ask previous and existing clients about their preferences using a survey. By now, they are comfortable with your business and using it, so they are more inclined to share that information with you.
To maximise engagement, offer them an incentive, such as a small discount on their next purchase. It might bite into your bottom line, but what you learn from the survey will more than make up for it.
Craft your questions to get as much information as possible. You should not only intend to harvest data but also obtain feedback. Customers will tell you where they were dissatisfied, which gives you some insight into how you need to change your approach. These are areas for development that you might not even be aware of that have a detrimental effect on your operations.
Track where people find out about you
Knowing where people got your details and visited your website is valuable. People who hear about you by word-of-mouth indicate that you need to keep your existing clients close as they are a useful marketing tool.
If you see that most are linking to your site via social media, this is a space where you need to spend more time marketing. Social media marketing does not cost as much as conventional marketing. Regular, meaningful posts with backlinks to your webpage generate a lot of interest. You can also choose to pay to have your posts appear in people’s timelines.
Additionally, track sources that are not generating much traffic. For example, if people are not finding out about you when they search online, you need to up your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) game to rank higher in search results.
Offer clients control
Control in the exchange of data is essential as it builds trust. When clients are given options for how their information is used, they feel in control. When they feel this way, they are more inclined to share details.
If you do this right from the commencement of a client’s journey with your company, the sense of trust will strengthen. Therefore, when you ask for their email address in a pop-up window, let them tick a box if they want to receive emails about future promotions or a regular newsletter.
This works just as well when asking for personal information whenever a new customer fills in an application for a loyalty programme or card. Giving them that choice leaves them in charge, making a client feel more at ease about sharing information with you.
Start building the relationship by incentivising new customers to share information with you. For example, offer a first-time buyer discount for answering a few questions about their preferences. A client then feels it was their choice to share their details with you.
Conclusion
There is no right or wrong way to manage customer preferences as each business is unique and has different needs. You might need to experiment a little to find the right approach that generates optimal results. Do not become disheartened as this is a process of trial and error, and you are not alone in experiencing it.
