Customers want to feel seen, heard and understood. If you want to win their hearts, you need to put them at the heart of your business. That includes all aspects of your business – from product development to marketing.
Brands pay a lot of lip service to putting their customers first, but how many actually show it? This philosophy needs to be displayed, be it in customer service or your brand’s social media page. Here’s how to put customers first and inspire brand love.
1. Exemplary customer service
An obvious point but too important to leave out. Having great customer support is absolutely essential to earning loyal customers. Mistakes happen and it is the company’s response to these mistakes that make or break a brand, not the mistakes themselves. If you’re quick to rectify and sincere in making amends, you can impress an unhappy customer and turn him into a loyal fan (that is, if the mistake isn’t anything major). So, don’t forget to spend time and resources improving and maintaining your customer support department. They are the key to brand love.
2. A customer-centric value proposition
Focus on how your products can solve specific problems experienced by your target market. Show that you understand the problems they face and that your brand is here to help. This positioning should extend beyond your sales messaging. Providing value should form the bedrock of all your brand’s communication efforts.
It goes without saying that you can’t always give potential customers the hard sell. In fact, aggressive “sales-y” messaging can repel rather than attract customers. Balance out more overt sales messages with “softer” content that conveys the same thing. You can see both types of content on IKEA Singapore’s Instagram page.
Direct messaging:
Indirect messaging:
Notice that both posts are communicating the same thing: IKEA helps you keep your home clutter-free. Even though the second post doesn’t overtly sell you any IKEA products (there’s no call-to-action asking viewers to buy their products), it still does a good job of positioning IKEA as the go-to brand for storage solutions. So, find creative ways to communicate your value proposition but always do so from the perspective of the consumer.
3. Innovating
Change is the only constant. No product can stay the same forever without becoming obsolete. Keep your ear to the ground. Listen to what your customers want and work on improving your product to meet their needs. It is only by staying updated on customer sentiments that you can adapt and improve your product to provide real value.
On the marketing side, don’t stop connecting with your customers. Ensure you stay updated on the latest trends and developments. Find new ways to reach out to existing and potential customers. Communicate product improvements through interesting and relatable content. This is how brands stand the test of time and stay relevant.
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Brands cannot thrive without customers, and loyal customers are earned through a combination of sincerity and clever marketing. As long as your customers are at the heart of your business, you are bound to get their attention, and their affection.