3 Ways to Connect with Your Customers in a New Way

Businesses are always looking for new and innovative ways to connect with their audiences. This guide will list three ways for you to connect with your customers.

As a business, your customers and clients are your lifeblood. Without them, you wouldn’t be able to do what you do. You owe them a lot, and this is something that should be reflected in the effort you make to connect with your customers.

Not only will reaching out in different ways show your customers that you care, it can also help to boost your business. Forming a real and meaningful relationship with the people who use your products will set you apart from your competitors. Brand loyalty is something that many businesses struggle to build, but it’s invaluable in today’s competitive business landscape.

The phrase “improving customer relations" sounds a little bit cold and corporate, and that’s exactly the kind of sentiment you want to avoid. You want to make connecting with customers seem effortless, organic, and something you’re genuinely interested in doing—as it should be.

If you’ve already tried reaching out to customers in the usual ways, and your efforts have fallen flat, don’t worry. We’ve got you. Read on for your guide to a few new and innovative ways you can start forming meaningful connections with your customers today.

1. Organize Amazing Events

What better way to show your customers you care than to throw a range of events in their honor? Organizing and hosting events will help you connect with your customers in a genuine way, and it also gives them a chance to connect with one another. This can help to build a community centered around your brand, which in turn builds a buzz and grows your customer base.

There are tonnes of different types of events you can consider throwing. It may seem as though the global pandemic would make it more difficult to host successful events, however, it actually creates the opportunity to think even bigger and better. It costs nothing to host a Zoom event, and you’re able to invite attendees from anywhere across the globe.

Think about the type of business you have when choosing what kind of event you’d like to organize. If you sell stationery or reading glasses, for example, you could host a monthly book club. If you’re a black-owned business, you could consider hosting a regular discussion panel that elevates black voices.

The options are endless, and these are just the online events. As restrictions ease, you can think more and more about in-person experiential marketing events you might like to throw. Look to brands such as Refinery 29 can serve as great inspiration, their 29Rooms pop-ups are often cited as prime examples of a brand pulling off an immersive and engaging in-person event.

2. Step Up Your Social Media Game

When it comes to connecting with your customers, social media has a lot to offer. Your business is almost certainly already on social media. If it’s not, you need to rethink your digital marketing strategy immediately.

You probably already engage with your followers on social media. You might even have a role in your business dedicated solely to this task. If so, communicating to your followers through social media might not seem particularly innovative, but it’s how you do it that counts.

Are you using your social media platforms to their full advantage? Chances are, you’re not. So, how can you step up your social media game and forge real connections?

First, look beyond the obvious platforms. Sure, you’ve got Facebook and Instagram on lock, but what could you be doing with other social media channels?

Tapping into trendy platforms like Tiktok can help you to connect with new demographics. Meanwhile, utilizing older platforms in new and innovative ways will be sure to get you noticed. See how Italian brand Barilla used Spotify in an unexpected way to help out pasta lovers everywhere.

Instagram Live is an easy and effective way to connect directly with your audience. Announce in advance on your stories and other platforms you’ll be going live, and facilitate a real conversation. Twitter’s new feature Spaces can be used to the same end.

3. Create a Two-Way Street

If you are really interested in connecting with your customers, not as a marketing strategy but out of genuine interest and care, then sometimes, it’s not about reaching out. It can often be more effective to take a passive role, rather than an active one. What does this mean, exactly?

Instead of bombarding your followers and customers with a constant barrage of content, posts, and emails, why not invite them to communicate with you instead? If you want a real connection, a dialogue is important. This means communication going both ways.

Invite your customers and followers to share their interests, queries, thoughts, and concerns with you, and then make a real effort to address them. This could be done through many different mediums. You could do an AMA-style zoom meeting, you could begin an Instagram Live, or you could simply make a post and take time to read all of the comments.

This tactic may open your business up to criticism, but it’s a great way to form a real connection and build trust between you and your customers. It will allow them to feel seen and heard by your brand, not just marketed to.

Begin to Connect With Your Customers Today

Of course, these are just a few ideas on ways you can connect with your customers. If you’re looking for more advice and inspiration, we’d be more than happy to provide you with some. Get in touch with our team if you’d like to discuss a strategy that can help you connect with your customers and boost your business today.