When you start a business, everything should be about the customer. Yes, you have to get through the day-to-day operations of your company, but all of your efforts should be targeted towards providing value for your clients. Customers are what will determine whether you succeed or fail.
No matter what your business is, there is no doubt that you have competitors. You need to do whatever you can to stand out in the crowd. When a client chooses you over another business, they are placing their trust that you will look after them. That’s why you need to know your customers’ needs when they make a buying decision. Here are 5 things that clients look for before agreeing to do business.
Authority
No, this doesn’t mean that customers want you to boss them around. What it does mean is that they want to do business with a company that is an authority in their given field. The question is, how does a brand position themselves as an authority?
You can do this by being active on social media and posting on your website. Not everything you post has to be marketing material. In fact, it’s a good idea to follow an 80/20 rule for your posts. That means 80% of your social media posts are informative, and the other 20% can be marketing. The 80% will help you create an authoritative image for your brand, provided that you have quality content. Your clients will be more trusting and willing to act on the 20% of marketing posts if you do this correctly.
Authenticity
They say that word of mouth is the best form of advertising. This remains true, even in today’s digital world. However, instead of people chatting about your product on their lunch breaks with colleagues, you want people to share on social media. This again involves your brand being very proactive on all of your platforms.
Make sure that you respond to comments and reviews, even if they are negative. If you can solve someone’s problem and turn it into a positive, then followers will notice. If you post engaging content, your followers will share it and expose your brand to their friends and followers. It’s so easy for consumers to interact with brands on social media,but the ones that truly stand out are the ones who connect with their audience and seem like real people behind the scenes. Canned answers and buzzwords will make your brand seem less personal and less interested in building customer relationships.
Trust
This article has already talked about trust, but there are different forms of it. For one, your clients want to be able to trust that you will deliver on what you’ve promised them. This is especially true with online businesses, since there’s no way for customers to connect with brands in person. If a company doesn’t fulfill an order, it can be very difficult to contact them and get a refund, for instance.
Clients also want to be able to trust that you will protect them in case of an accident or incident. For example, if you are a contractor, your clients need assurance that if you cause an injury or damage to their property you will be able to provide them with compensation. You should have the right insurance to protect yourself and your clients, and you must be able to present proof of insurance if requested. Having the right coverage will help you sleep better at night, and it will help your clients have more trust in you.
Support
Modern consumers are used to getting what they want, when they want it. Everything can be sent directly to the door so they don’t even have to leave their homes. If your business is not providing excellent service, then you will quickly be thrown aside for your competition. This does not mean that you have to deliver if that isn’t a part of your business model. It does mean that you need to ensure that you keep your promises, and treat your clients with the respect they deserve.
Providing support means answering any questions with a smile and being as open and detailed as you can with your answers. Make sure that customers feel valued and appreciated. There is a lot of choice out there, and your clients will go somewhere else if they feel that you haven’t rolled out the red carpet properly. All of your staff must be trained on customer service techniques so that every interaction with your brand is positive and moves towards making a sale.
Personality
Not every brand is the same. They all project different images and feelings and display a certain kind of personality. As a business owner, you need to be able to inject that personality into everything you do. When writing messages or getting in touch with clients, speak and write with your brand’s voice. It gives the customers a sense of what you are all about and how you do business.
Beyon how you speak and write, customers want to understand that there are real people behind your brand. Make sure that you have an “About Us” page that lists the history of your company and hilights the people who work there. Giving your brand a human face will make clients more open to doing business with you. Real people are more trustworthy than chatbots and faceless marketing emails. You can help this effort by using a lot of pictures and videos in your content. Videos, in particular, provide an engaging way to allow viewers a peek into the daily life of your company and build relationships with the personalities who work there.
As a business, you are taking on a huge responsibility every time a consumer buys from you. They are placing their trust in you to handle their hard-earned money responsibly. You need to make sure that trust is not misplaced or misguided. By focusing on what your clients look for, you can build trust with your clients and bring in more sales than ever before.
