Powerful technologies have created a major disruption in the retail industry. It’s changed the way consumers shop and what they expect from the brands they love.
To understand your customers’ expectations, you need to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Only then will you be able to understand exactly what they are looking for from your store.
Trends in Customer Engagement
Small businesses like yours can compete with Amazon and the big box stores when you know what your customers want. It’s time to take a cue from major brands to meet your customers’ expectations and learn how improve customer engagement through technology.
Diving into your sales reports will provide you with a good idea of what’s hot and what’s not. But to anticipate future trends, you’ll need to improve your customer engagement.
Tech That Exceeds Customer Expectations
A convergence in marketing and customer service has occurred. What this means is that your marketing efforts directly impact your customer service and the overall customer experience. Small businesses need to recognize how they can take advantage of it.
Today, customers see the value of your services through regular communications and a social media presence. Your customers are expecting that you utilize the same technology as the major retailers to reach out to them. With this in mind, let’s take a look at these and how you can use them to your advantage.
Keywords
Need to grow your customer list? Expand your marketing reach? Keywords are the perfect place to start. Customers simply text a specific keyword to your authorized short code. That’s it! Now you have their personal information (that they willingly provided), so in return, you can send them a digital coupon, cash reward, or freebie.
Text Marketing
Also called SMS (short messaging service) marketing, text marketing is a direct connection to your customers. The open rates for text message marketing are over 90%. It’s one of the most effective marketing tools available. With their phone number, you can text them directly—offering promotional information, sales, and timely discounts.
Birthday Marketing
If you can get their phone number, then they’re probably willing to give their date of birth. You don’t have to ask for the year, just the month and day. Once you have that, you can send them birthday wishes and a special message. It’s a personal touch that people love to see. These types of genuine interactions build stronger relationships with your customers.
Email Campaigns
Email goes hand-in-hand with text messaging. According to Retail Dive, consumers still prefer email over text, but those numbers are getting closer every year. Email open rates are high, and the return on your investment is nearly 34-to-1. Within minutes you can send customers a timely offer or let them know about your latest involvement in their community. You can also take advantage of email templates and drag-and-drop technology.
Rewards and Loyalty
People love loyalty programs. Over 80% of consumers are in one. You’re probably in a couple of them now, earning all of the benefits they have to offer. In the past, these programs required a lot of money and infrastructure, which is why only major retailers could afford them. Today, small businesses can offer these same programs to their customers and at a fraction of the cost. Your customers will appreciate receiving text and email alerts about their rewards.
The Next Level in Customer Engagement
Marketing is no longer a one-way street. Your customers should be able to give you feedback and participate in programs geared toward their loyalty. Bringing all of this together are new technologies that fit every budget.
These new technologies can extend the reach of your customer service. Now you can reach out to them when they’re not in the store and ask about their recent purchases or intent to purchase other items. This is providing great service because you’re engaging with your customers in more meaningful ways.