Customer relationship management is not an exact science. It is often a subtle balance of strategy, technology and tool. However, some marketing techniques can really make a difference and set a mark. “There is no miraculous recipe: it all starts with the customer! “Says Estelle Ballot, international marketing professional and creator of Marketing podcast.
Get inside the customer’s head
If there was a basis, it could be this: knowing and above all understanding your customer. ” You have to ask yourself about your ideal customer, the one who has the best chance to buy what I offer, Estelle Ballot exhibits. This approach allows you to target a type of customer without limiting the audience. “
The decision to buy a product or use a particular service is based on facts, but not only. “There is emotion, recalls Estelle Ballot. We must not neglect the psychological dimension of its customers, of its target. “
To enter the mind of her client and better understand the expectations of her target, Nina Ramen, copywriter and trainer, conducts the survey online. Who are you dating? What are you looking for? “I can get information from a customer profile, discussion groups and identify questions they might ask, details Nina Ramen, who has created a bootcamp to help women get started on LinkedIn, her beloved network. You can also conduct interviews with your customers to learn about their problems. “
A perfect knowledge of your customer allows you to activate interesting levers to stand out: build and feed a content strategy, customize the relationship with the customer, etc.
Consider the customer as your best sales force
Acquiring customers is legitimate, if not … vital research! It is also the nerve of war! Without customers there is no turnover. However, this shouldn’t overshadow those who have already entered your customer base. An old marketing adage is that a very satisfied customer will talk to three people, while a dissatisfied customer will talk to 12 … Conclusion? We never leave a satisfied customer in the corner!
First, because a satisfied customer with a service or product is a first step towards loyalty. Then, because they are “Our best sales forceEstelle Ballot insists. No one will sell better than someone who has already bought and is happy with this purchase. You have to turn your customers into ambassadors, pamper them. They will reassure the prospect and overwhelm the hesitant. ” Word of mouth, reviews on the site, comments on social networks… you have to encourage them to testify. A busy customer can feel involved and spontaneously talk about their satisfaction. Creating and maintaining this commitment means creating quality interactions with the customer.
Personalize the relationship with the customer
In the digital age it is important to… “humanize”, make the customer experience “unique”. You can rely on a number of tools and techniques that help personalize and adapt your speech. This is especially the case with CRM software, which allows you to log valuable data such as purchase history, exchanges, etc. Or the Customer Data Platform (CDP) technology, which offers the possibility of segmenting, targeting and personalizing marketing campaigns in order to improve customer relationships.
“Automating certain tasks saves valuable time”, reports Estelle Ballot, referring to the tools that allow you to activate activities such as sending SMS, e-mails, etc. according to predefined scenarios, determined by the customer’s behavior. The young woman uses tools that automate actions by connecting the different apps you use every day … In the toolbox of what is called “marketing automation “(or automated marketing), there are, for example, solutions to send welcome e-mails after subscribing to a newsletter, or display personalized pop-ups, in short, targeted marketing campaigns, thanks to the detailed analysis of consumer behavior. Note, however, that under the new law GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), it is mandatory to obtain the consent of Internet users under penalty of penalties (the famous cookies to be accepted when accessing a site!).
Another interesting way: chat modules that can be integrated into your site to interact with the customer, eg Olark Where is it iNotice. Estelle Ballot experienced this when she installed a module on her website: “Interacting directly with the person is a great way to optimize the relationship with the customer. I have a high conversion rate through this. And despite everything, this helps to break the sometimes somewhat cold approach of digital. “
Focus on high-quality content
For Estelle Ballot as for Nina Ramen, today it is difficult to ignore inbound marketing (incoming marketing) to manage the relationship with the customer. Unlike outbound marketing (outbound marketing) which aims to seek out the customer, inbound marketing brings the customer to you. How ? By setting a content strategy meant for its characters. “Inbound is first of all making yourself visible and making yourself known through free quality content distributed on social networks in particular, on your website, etc. “, sums up Nina Ramen, who has amassed no less than a million monthly views on her Linkedln posts.
The choice of the social network is fundamental and will depend a lot on its target and its contents. What does not vary, however, is the quality and regularity of the content offered. “It must have value for the customer and provide him with an answer. Our client must be able to count on our experience to want to come back to read us. If the work on the networks is well done, go further and sign up for our newsletter for example “, continues the copywriter, author of different newsletters.
Social networks have largely democratized inbound marketing. The investment is ultimately relatively minimal if you write the content yourself, but you have to put some time into it. Because it is a long-term strategy.
Embody your brand
Nina Ramen publishes content every day on one of the three themes that are dear to her and that resonate with her clients (of which 80% are women): writing, entrepreneurship and feminism. “I found my personal monopoly through these three subjects that no one mentions in the same universe. I immediately wondered what could distinguish me from other professionals in my sector “
Developing a very strong personal brand undeniably allows you to stand out from the competition. Embodying your values and vision is an approach that allows you to involve your client, to involve him in a story. And Nina to conclude: “We all have a story. It is rare that the founder of a company does it by chance… “. In short, the relationship with the customer is a skilful mix of soft and hard skills, do not hesitate to use your empathy, your business competence and the best tools to work on your personal branding and your partnerships!