Business management

Five ways to build better customer relationships

It is important to remember that the customer is key. Here are FreeAgent’s top tips for building strong relationships with the people who buy your goods and services.

04 Sep 2020 . 3 min read

Building strong, positive relationships with your customers is good for business. These tips will encourage your customers to keep coming back for more.

1. Chat with your customers at every opportunity

Talking to your customers is a simple and effective way of earning their trust and learning more about their needs. You can gain a huge amount of insight by simply listening to what they like and hearing how your product or service fits into their lives. Don’t be afraid to ask for this information; it’s likely that your customers will enjoy having the opportunity to talk to you.

2. Engage with them on social media

Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn allow you to engage with both existing and prospective customers quickly and easily. Many successful brands use social media to gather feedback, inform, entertain and offer support. When it comes to social media for your business, remember that it pays to be responsive and personal. Make sure you respond to all feedback – both positive and negative – in a helpful way, and that you use people’s first names, where appropriate, to add a personal touch.

3. Find out what your customers are thinking

Most people love to share their opinions and your customers are no different, so why not ask them what they really think? A few effective ways to gather this feedback include:

customer surveys
conversations on social media
comments on your blog
interactions in online communities

By asking your customers what they think, you can collect a range of valuable insights that should help you improve your product or service and keep your customers happy.

4. Host a virtual event

Hosting virtual events can be a fantastic way to get to know more about your customer base. Events also open up a world of opportunities for networking and for creating a bit of buzz about your company. Remember there are several ways to get your customers together online, whether it’s a session run through video conferencing or a quiz hosted on your business’s Facebook page.

5. Show your appreciation

Showing your most loyal customers your appreciation from time to time should go a long way towards strengthening your relationships with them. You might want to consider sending your long-standing customers thank-you notes in the post or via email or social media, or perhaps offering them exclusive discounts or benefits. That said, nothing will demonstrate that you care more than offering every customer you encounter the best service that you can. If you do this, you’ll be well on your way to building valuable, rewarding relationships with your customers.

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