|
Web sites can be fabulous lead generation
and sales conversion tools. But, existing customers?
They are already believers in your products. Why should
you cater to them?
Customer acquisitions cost money. More likely than not,
it costs you more to gain a new customer than to keep
one. So, it makes sense to take the time to do a superb
job in creating value for your customers. Make them happy.
Keep them loyal. Your company Web site is a great place
to start building value for your current customers.
One of the top reasons businesses create Web sites is
to raise awareness of their products and services and
to market them to potential customers. Indeed, if planned
and implemented well, Web sites have repeatedly been
proven to be a competitive advantage in attracting new
customers.
Alice Cunningham, co-owner of Seattle-based
Olympic Hot Tub Co., winner of this year's SBA Washington
State Small Business Person of the Year, validated
the results of creating her Web site. Her store's
Web site "has kept me in the game" by providing
an effective marketing hook, she told Central."We're
a destination store - we're not in a mall - and the
Web is the most cost-effective way to get people to
the store." This year, she says, Web-generated
sales will account for about 20% of total revenues.
That figure is to grow, and rapidly. (See Olympic
Hot Tub's site at www.olympichottub.com.).
Olympic Hot Tub's Web site is a proven sales tool. More
than that, it is also very effective in building relationships
with customers and gaining referrals through them. How
can you turn your Web site into a frequent destination
for your customers?
The best way to start is to gain a deep understanding
of your customers. Who are they? What motivated them
to buy? What do they need to fully take advantage of
the benefit your products and services offer? What are
the hurdles getting in the way? What are their biggest
challenges? What will keep them happy? What will drive
them away?
Next, evaluate your Web site. Do your customers know
it's there? Is your Web site getting you closer to your
customers, or is it merely an irrelevant address that
appears in the company brochure? Your products and your
customers are unique, so your solution is likely to be
unique. However, here are 8 tried-and-true strategies
that will give you some good ideas, plus a good place
to start.
1. Give your customers
what they need to take full advantage of your products. Identify information they need to know
to get the best results from your products and services.
Create questions and answers written in a language they
understand - i.e., no geek talk for the technically superior
folks. Identify common problems and issues and show how
to resolve them. If you must provide the information
in downloadable documents, be sure your customers have
the capability to download them and know how to open
them. In other words, know your customers' technical
knowledge, Internet connection speeds, and the file formats
they are most comfortable with. This is key to getting
knowledge into their hands.
2. Get them in touch
with your people who can help them. Your customer service and technical support staff may
be the best resources to provide added understanding
of your customers' issues and to provide needed hand-holding.
Be aware of your different customer groups and the kind
of support and information each of these groups may require.
Be sure your customers can easily find the right person
to take care of them. Provide all your contact information.
Better yet, if it makes sense for your company, provide
a means of contact via the Web site.
3. Help your customers
take care of your products. If
your products need regular care and maintenance, explain
the service schedule. Help your customers spot problems,
and suggest remedies and products that will alleviate
the situation. Remind them of needed seasonal care. Make
it easy for them to order needed servicing products and
schedule services.
4. Help your customers
find related products and services. If you have trusted sources who provide related products
and services your customers also need, make them available
to your customers. Check out Web sites for government
agencies, associations, and non-profit organizations:
they can provide great resources that do not compete
with what you have to offer.
5. Create an online
customer service center. If this
center is packed with useful, relevant information, and
is only available to your customers, they will feel specially
well-treated! Here, you can offer additional technical
and product information, as well as interactive forms
that your customers can use to ask questions or schedule
services. Let them know about new products, new features,
and new technologies that are being introduced or in
the works. Give them the first opportunity to try out
what's new. Keep them posted on what's newsworthy in
your company and in the industry.
6. Customize the
information just for your customers. If the sales and communications volume justify the budget,
consider creating an online database in which your customers
can look up information and resources specific to their
needs. By offering your customers ample self-serve opportunities,
you can free up customer service time to provide better
and more in-depth service.
7. Introduce your
customers to one another. Often, a
customer's best resource is another user who may face
similar issues. You can create opportunities for customers
to share knowledge and solutions with one another through
online forums and e-mail listservs. Managing these interactive
communications tools can take a lot of time and resources.
Be sure you budget for it. Alternatively, you may consider
soliciting customers' insights and then publishing the
ideas in the form of usable information for other customers.
8. Create visibility
for your customers. Are your customers
other businesses? Help promote their businesses and give
them great PR by recognizing them on your Web site. Not
only do you provide them good visibility, you may even
help them develop good business opportunities.
These 8 strategies have been proven to generate Web
site traffic, increase sales per customer, streamline
customer support, and enhance customer relations. Happy
customers who love your products and services are your
best allies. They will buy more, refer your company to
friends and associates, and keep your competitors away.
To make these 8 strategies successful for your company,
you must also make sure these three steps are taken.
First, be sure the information you offer on your Web
site is current and up-to-date. Outdated information
not only shows sloppiness, it also frustrates your customers
and tarnishes the confidence they have in you.
Second, make sure the site is super easy to use. Put
some energy into understanding how your customers find
and use the information. Create a site structure that
is logical and a site navigation that is intuitive to
use. Be sure the information your customers look for
is readily available at their fingertips. This takes
planning, and may even require some structural changes
to your site. But it is worth every penny. A site that
is hard to use loses its usefulness.
Finally, be sure you respond to your customers' questions
and requests promptly. If you have a service policy in
place, post it and follow it. Assign people to take care
of your customers. Demonstrate to your customers that
you are serious about taking care of their business,
and they will take care of yours.
Copyright Eva Chiu and InfoAdvantage.
E-Business
Articles >
|
