How To Satisfy Growing Consumer Demands In The Modern Age
Business landscapes have evolved in many ways in recent years. However, growing consumer demands are easily up there with the most noticeable. Unfortunately, if your company fails to adapt to the times in this arena, it will quickly get left behind.
If you are ever going to satisfy modern consumers, you must see things from their perspective. When you do, making calculated decisions becomes far easier. Focus on the following issues, and you won’t go far wrong.
Firstly, Why Does It Matter?
Before looking at strategies to satisfy consumer demands, you must first appreciate the reasons for doing this. Ultimately, consumers have the power to determine whether the company succeeds or fails. Without sales, nothing else the business achieves will matter.
Current consumer spending trends show high levels of competition as well as increased pressure on the average person. So, the right decisions must be made. The rewards of doing this include;
Win new customers,
Keep existing customers happy,
Prevent clients from looking elsewhere,
Increased average customer lifetime value (CLV).
#1. Build Trust In The Brand
Whether they discover the company online or not, most consumers will conduct some research before making a purchase. While there are several questions that need answering, knowing that they can trust the company is at the top of the list. One of the most effective ways to build this trust is through social proof.
Social proof can come through a combo of testimonials, influencer marketing, and affiliate schemes. When others talk about your brand in glowing terms, it legitimizes the company. Moreover, it highlights that you have solved their pain points and will be positioned to do the same for them. Some of the best ways to make the most of this include;
Asking happy customers for reviews, perhaps in return for a 10% discount on their next purchase.
Working with niche social influencers who appeal to an audience that is similar to yours.
Register your business on directory websites where reviews organically occur.
Launch an affiliate marketing scheme that encourages users to actively build awareness of your brand.
Invest in your SEO visibility as most people associate a good ranking with reliability.
#2. Invest In 24/7 Customer Care
While consumer demands have changed in several ways, the fact that they want instant answers stands out as a big one. Most people expect their issues to be addressed within 24 hours. Likewise, opinions of the brand are severely damaged as more time passes. For the best results, then, instant results are advised.
Finding an affordable ChatGPT chatbot for website can be very useful. As well as opening the door to instant customer care on a 24/7 basis, it gives users a self-help service. This is the preferred choice for a growing percentage of customers, although live human agents still have a role to play. Other ways to support 24/7 care include;
Building an efficient FAQ page or policy page that uses a single source of truth.
Using a forum to allow users to help each other.
Hiring remote live chat agents from around the world so that someone is available on a 24/7 basis.
Create tutorial pages and use news bulletins to update customers on key issues.
#3. Make The Experience Exciting & Shareable
Once upon a time, consumer opinions of the brand were largely defined by the quality and value of the product in question. In today’s climate, though, the entire experience from brand discovery through to post-purchase care matters. Likewise, consumer experiences are heavily influenced by how others respond to their purchase.
The experience of a product starts as soon as they receive it, which is why boring packaging no longer works. As well as building anticipation, a well-presented product also gives users the chance to share the experience online. Unboxing videos are an example. This enhances their experience and can bring new customers to your door. Extra steps to boost excitement include;
Sending automated communications at each stage of order fulfillment.
Create scarcity with limited stock or timed offers so that they feel lucky to have secured the purchase.
Add the option for personalization or customization where possible.
Run social media competitions that encourage people to share content of their purchase.
#4. Reward Loyalty
Most businesses understand the need to draw new leads in with special offers. However, the Pareto principle states that 80% of revenue comes from just 20% of your audience. Therefore, you must place an equal level of focus on securing loyal and returning fans. Otherwise, one-time customers will remain this way.
Loyal customers are the heartbeat of your business, leading you to sustained success. A dedicated loyalty program should provide the foundation. However, you also need to focus on giving loyal clients added value and motivation. Some of the most effective solutions for achieving this outcome include but are not limited to;
Give out promotional materials or discontinued goods as freebies.
Provide free software updates, product servicing, or premium content.
Mention them on social media or branded messages.
Send birthday greetings and other personalized messages.
#5. Make The Transaction More Convenient
By now, you should know that most consumers will pay more for a better customer experience. Therefore, you need to ensure that the transaction itself is as convenient as possible. The aforementioned idea of sending automated messages during order fulfillment helps. This stops them from feeling the need to contact you for updates.
However, there are many other ways to make the transaction more convenient. For offline sales, an effective POS terminal that accepts card payments, mobile payments, and cash payments is key. For eCommerce sales, using one-click payments and auto-fill can work very well. Additional ways to make the transaction more convenient include but are not limited to;
Allow for purchases to be made in several currencies and languages.
Give consumers the option to use repayment plans, as long as they pass credit checks.
Ensure that your website is responsive when adding items to the bag.
Let consumers choose from a range of delivery options to suit their needs.
#6. Target The Right People
The harsh reality is that you can’t impress everyone, regardless of what you do. Therefore, it’s important to focus your efforts on the right demographics. Or else, you will find that generic approaches stop you from maximizing the returns gained from the audience who would be interested. Worse still, people who aren’t interested will still resist purchases too.
Building a target consumer profile will provide the framework. From here, you should consider moves that will reach them in the right places at the right times. Of course, you will also need to ensure that your ideas achieve the desired engagement levels. The following questions should provide the guidance needed to reach the desired outcomes time and time again;
Which social media and digital marketing channels appeal most to the intended audience?
What tone are they most likely to respond to?
When are the best times to interact with them during the day, week, and month?
How else can you show that your brand “gets them”?
#7. Exceed Expectations
Every SME should meet user expectations and offer consistent services that align with their promises. However, going above and beyond for your customers will not go unnoticed. Give them more than they expect, and you can be sure that they will enjoy stronger feelings towards the brand. Moreover, they are likely to tell others about this experience.
Exceeding expectations can take many forms. Giving them something for free, whether it be an extra side in your restaurant or a free accessory with their store purchase, is ideal. It’s an extra source of feeling special and valued, which instantly creates positive associations in their minds. Other ways to go the extra mile are;
Help out even if their product has just gone past its warranty.
Offer quote or consultation services without charge.
Give free or discounted services, system updates, etc.
Try to get items delivered sooner than expected.
#8. Make Them Feel Included
Finally, the brand-consumer relationship is no longer limited to simply selling items. In today’s climate, it’s important to build a community that they feel proud to join. You can achieve this through ideas like adopting green habits and showing greater responsibility. However, you should also go the extra mile to make them feel valued rather than just a number.
One of the most effective ways is to actively ask for their opinions and use this feedback to guide your decisions. Embracing cloud-based innovation platforms enables your innovators to welcome ideas from customers. While you won’t use them all, the best could unlock new products or incremental innovations. Alternative methods could include;
Utilizing user-generated content within your marketing campaigns.
Respond to comments on social media posts.
Running polls, focus groups, and feedback sessions.
Include them with behind-the-scenes insights.
The Final Word
Happy customers will give your business the very best shot at sustained success, not least when coupled with data analytics. Once you build on a winning blueprint with the necessary updates to maintain momentum, your business will never look back.
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