Did you know that March 15 is World Consumer Rights Day? As a business owner, not only is it important to make sure your employees are happy and well taken care of, but your customers are of utmost importance too! After all, they are the folks who keep your business in business! Of course, creating a business that people keep coming back to is the key to success. But how do you do that? Below are some simple tips to building a brand that customers will want to support.
Always be transparent
Customers love to know what’s going on behind-the-scenes of their favorite businesses! Whether it’s introducing the employees who work for you via social media or showcasing what goes into your day-to-day as the boss, customers are curious folks. Research shows that customers are more loyal to those brands and businesses who are straightforward with them– be it good or bad! If you make a mistake, address it simply. There’s nothing that frustrates consumers more than feeling as if a business is trying to pull the wool over their eyes.
Engage with your customers
Customer engagement is a huge one! I wouldn’t have five Puff & Fluff locations if I didn’t have a connection with my customer base. Make a point to get to know who your customers are and what their specific needs are. Talk to your customers– even if it’s just via social media! Holding contests and in-store events is another great way to drive customer engagement as well. Don’t assume you know everything– even those with the most advanced business degrees and interesting ideas will fail if they don’t connect with their customers.
Insist on improvement
Another key component to creating a business that customers love is to always be improving! Even when everything is going swimmingly, know that things can change at the drop of a hat. Trends change by the moment and so do your customer’s needs. Having a customer suggestion box can be a fun tool, depending on the type of business you own. This ties strongly into my last point of engaging with your customer base; if you’re not engaging, you have no way to improve because you don’t know what the customer wants.
Of course, there are a ton of ways to create a business that folks will want to frequent! Creating a business involves doing plenty of market research and customer outreach. Be sure to stay connected and in-tune with your customer base. See what works and what doesn’t– and know that it’s rare that all goes perfectly from the start. If you’re creating a brand new business, it can take time to get new customers in the door. Start by running promotions and events to attract attention. I know that you have the power to create a lasting business!
Have questions or want to chat more about this topic? Reach out to me here! I’m always happy to talk to other small business owners and entrepreneurs.
