It’s hard to ignore the impact that technology has had on small businesses over the past few years.  Your products may have become commoditized.  Many organizations have found it’s difficult to stand out, be perceived as different…and to really build lasting relationships with their customers.

Have you noticed your prospects are better informed than they used to be?

Technology + Increased Competition + Discerning Customers = THE NEED FOR A NEW STRATEGY

And what better time to focus on something new…January…the month of New Year’s Resolutions!  I challenge you to go against the grain.  Forget about weight loss, and focus on weight gain (Oops, I mean customer gain!).

That’s right; there is one great way for you to differentiate—with customer engagement.  Build your base of highly-committed customers.

Why?  They’re a lot less likely to jump ship when your competition comes along.  Plus, the more engaged they are, the more you know about them—and the more prepared you’ll be to tailor additional product and service offerings to meet their needs.

And HOW do you increase engagement?  A 4-step process I call The Easy Method.

1. Easy to Find Customers want instant, easy access to information on their terms.  Make it easy for them to reach you.  Make sure your materials answer their questions.  Add calculators and forms to your website.  Mobile phones, the web, e-mail…you get the point.
2. Easy to Understand Think user-friendly here.  You may understand industry jargon and acronyms, but your customers need to feel comfortable with these concepts.  Before they’ll trust you, they need to feel you can relate to them.
3. Easy to Recognize Consistency is key. If your customers expect to hear from you, make sure they do.  Regular communication and a consistent visual representation/message build stronger recognition over time.  Stronger recognition = a stronger connection to you.
4. Easy to Relate No two customers are the same.  Or are they?  Segment your customers and offer personal offers/communication.  The more relevant you are to them, the stronger your relationship and the more receptive they are to what you have to say.

This month, resolve to involve your customers!