Communications Add to toolbox

You need to ensure customers can reach you easily, whetherthey are ready to purchase or just have a question.

A lot of emphasis is placed on this type of communication with your potential customers because if you are easy to reach, happy to answer questions and willing to help you are not only perceives as a ‘nice’ and ‘helpful’, but this persuades these prospective customers to be converted in into buying customers.

The reality is customers want to be heard:

• To ask questions about how your particular product/service
• To have their issues solved
• To make suggestions how you can improve your product/service

An unsaid industry standard is that the faster you are at replying to them to the higher the chances they will appreciate this type of service and buy from you, whether they are a first time buyer or a repeat buyer.

This is how you ensure you are conveniently accessible any time customers may want to reach you:

• Have a registered phone/mobile number/contact line – customers love to have the presence of a live being able to answer their queries as they feel this is the fastest way of solving issues. Remember to have clear business hours advertised with this contact number to ensure customers can reach you at a convenient time for you both.
• Have a strong online presence with a website – this is most popular way for customers to find information on you. 
• Strong social media presence – whether you are B2B or B2C or even C2C, social media has changed the way people do business and is fast replacing email. Social Media management tips 
• Have an email and a registered address customers can reach you on – organise your time so that you can deal with emails efficiently as they can easily take over your life. Tips to manage email
• Create a simple process/system for your customers to complain should they need to and spend time looking after your customers and responding to them during this process
• Make sure all of your contact information is on your business cards – you should have them!
• Merchandise – customers love freebies, and at times when they least expect it they may discover a need for your product/service you need to ensure all of your contact details are on there too!

The key thing to remember is for all of your contact information to be easily and clearly visible on your merchandise and other places that your potential customers will see it – to make their decision to contact, research or take an interest in your business that little bit more likely … 

Resources

• Make your website easy for customers to use
• Helpful customers insights – another reason to create easy communication methods 
• Keeping track of contacting people in small business 
• 6 Reasons why freebie merchandising works