Online Businesses Need to Get to Know Their Customers – Here’s How

You probably know quite a lot about your employees. At our digital agency in Melbourne, for example, we all know that Karyn doesn’t take enough time off (ever), that Matt works from 5 am like some kind of crazy person, and that Bianca is the go-to person for social content. But do you know your customers that well too? Why not? After all, it’s their dollars that are so important to your success!

• 83% of customers say customer service is essential to their purchasing decision
• 37% of customers say it’s a priority that a business understands their unique needs and expectations
• Just a 5% increase in customer retention rates can increase profits by 25-95%

The fact is, getting to really know your customers is a little difficult to do – especially when they’re online!

So, with that in mind, we’ve got some great suggestions on how to get to know all these lovely people a whole lot better so you can show them exactly why your business is the only one for them.

How to get to know your customers a whole lot better 

#1 – Respond to all reviews 

Take the time to respond to both good and bad reviews personally. Not only does this show you care about what your customers have to say, it also humanises your business. It’s also a great way to see what is and isn’t working, so you can plan improvements or deliver more of what they love.

Great reviews are a good source of engagement, working like a word-of-mouth recommendation. People love to see their testimonials in the spotlight as this creates a stronger relationship between them and your business, and it builds trust with people who haven’t worked with you before! 

#2 – Host and get involved withevents

Again, this is a great way to both humanise your brand and get to know your customers. And the best part is that there are loads of ways to do it! From podcasts and webinars on key areas of consumer interest to live stream events and product showcases, you can drive engagement and get your customers involved with what your business does, all while driving feedback.

You can also take in-person events online, whether you’re supporting a local community project, working with a not for profit, or hosting an in-person event. You can stream it on YouTube or Facebook, showcase it on video, showing your audience what your business stands for and connecting with your community to drive local support.

People love to support brands that contribute towards the community, bring people together under common goals, and use their power to help people and provide leadership!

#3 – Be personal with promotions 

Even though you can’t get to know your customers face-to-face, their online behaviour opens ways to communicate personally with them. It’s very important to gather and use consumer behaviour data (ethically, of course!) to connect personally, as 71% of consumers expect it and 76% are frustrated when it isn’t happening! It’s also known to support business growth, driving around 40% more revenue.

The best way to do this is to use segmentation in your email, creating different content based on past purchases, items on wish lists, persona groups, geographic location, and buying frequency. If you are in a B2B business, you can segment according to industry, concern/interest, and the type of organisation.

#4 – Encourage user generated content 

Chances are, you’ve participated in user generated content yourself! People love it when a business offers them a perk, personal mention, or entry into a competition in return for their participation. This can be a hashtag associated with your business and event, a photo of them using your product, photos of your service in action, or a viral challenge. This will help flood every corner of social media with your presence and can be a launching pad for a new product, service, or initiative.

A good idea is to partner with another organisation to expose your brand to new audiences and build connections. For example, a coffee producer could partner with a cafe, a garden centre with an office management company, a clothing supplier with a photographer, or working with a non-profit. Look for something complementary but not competitive!

#5 – Put your analytics to use 

Analytics generate statistics and insights that show you what is reaching your audience, where they are connecting with you, what they like, and who they are. Because it creates a map of consumer behaviour, it’s invaluable for shaping your customer journey and interactions.

For example, if you see you’re getting a lot of clicks through from Facebook, you may want to start pushing more content on the platform or open a Facebook shopping page. If you see your how-to videos are doing well, you’ll want to add them to social media and promote them on your website and in emails as well as having them on YouTube.

The better you understand what your consumers do and don’t like, the more you can shape your digital strategies and content to appeal to them!

Take control of your digital presence with our Melbourne agency! 

As a digital marketing agency, we know our customers better than they know themselves. And that means we know what they want: online marketing without the BS!

Luckily, that’s our specialty! From website design and PPC campaigns to social media and video marketing, we do all the stuff that works.

Our services are affordable, effective, and designed for your business – and with our experience in every industry from retail and medical to interior design, IT services, and B2B, we know we have what it takes.

Let’s chat!