Can You Hear Me Now?
Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Effective Communication
Have you ever wanted to ask a prospect or a client that infamous question: “Can you hear me now?” If you’re like me, the answer is a resounding YES. Effective communication matters. This is part 1 of a four-part series around effective communication. I invite you to read them all over the next four weeks and improve your communication.
Attracting and engaging new customers and clients, as well as retaining them and their loyalty is rooted in effective communication. All aspects of your operation – whether you are aware of it or not – rely on effectively communicating with customers. Aside from the obvious methods of communication such as printed content, broadcast materials, mobile ads, marketing campaigns, social media posts, and promotional pieces, there are many additional ways you can connect with clients and customers to earn and keep their allegiance to your brand.
Can You Hear Me Now?
Part 1: Improve Your Customer Experience
When customers interact with your brand, they receive and interpret messages about your operation and the way you conduct business. Therefore, when building and retaining a strong customer base, make sure your operations align with your messages and value proposition. Here’s how:
Consider your say-to-do ratio.
It is important to define the services you promise your customers in order to set and ultimately exceed their expectations. When you advertise characteristics that match your customers’ expectations, not only will they become satisfied and encouraged to return to your brand, but they’ll also recommend your goods and services to friends, family, and people in their networks. Contrarily, if you project characteristics that don’t match customers’ anticipated outcomes, you’ll inadvertently communicate inefficiencies that your customers will then share with others.
Set an example for handling conflict. Can you hear me now?
Companies are often defined by how they handle dissatisfied customers or clients. To successfully manage conflict, you must create a protocol for every level of your organization in order to rectify mistakes or missteps in customer exchanges. Empower your employees to both diffuse bad situations and resolve issues to halt complaints before they escalate. The ability to resolve conflicts quickly and with minimal customer disturbance shows that you care about them. Customers want you to understand their concerns and honor their business. Be sure to regularly ask them, “Can you hear me now?”
Assure that your employees identify with the company’s mission statement and core values.
If your team doesn’t buy into your mission and values, they may spread inconsistent messages about your company to customers. Remember, your employees serve as your brand ambassadors. They communicate their feelings about who you are, what you do, and how well it’s done to their friends, family, clients, and many others. Find ways to weave your mission statement into your operational processes. Make sure your employees can feel the impact of the company mission. Encourage them to operate in a fashion that reflects the company’s core values.
Don’t forget to come back to our blog next week for Part 2 of our “Can You Hear Me Now?” series.
Your Marketing Expert,
Cheryl McCants ~ Impact Founder and CEO