You hear it all the time: “Engage your customers!” Sounds like pretty solid advice, right? But how, exactly, do you do that? These tips will help you start engaging your customers to keep them excited about you and your business.

Creating App and Email Excitement will help to ensure your customers keep your App on their smart phones, and look forward to your emails, but it’s equally as important to keep your customers engaged with you and your business.

An engaged customer is a level above  a satisfied customer  and definitely more loyal.

1. ENGAGE YOUR CUSTOMERS IN DIALOG

Use social media to start a conversation with your customers.

Using social media to engage your customers can seem intimidating at first. But it’s the first step in creating loyal customers — people who come back to you time and time again and even promote your business for you in earnest. Creating social media dialog tells your customers that you care and that you’re listening.

Listen:  

Read the comments on your Facebook page to learn what your customers are thinking and feeling and to find out what they want. Then give ‘em what they asked for via email and mobile App promotions or exclusive online-only events and contests.

i.e. Send an email or push message:

“You asked, we deliver: Buy one pitcher, get second pitcher free! During all Monday night football games through December 31^st”

Ask Questions:

Your questions should be real questions you actually want an answer to. They should be appealing and relevant to your business. Keep them open ended, and positive.

“What is your favorite special meal?”

“What new additions would you like to see added to our menu?

Answer for a chance to appear in our next post!

Always Answer!

Always answer the questions you receive from social channels; it lets your audience and your customer know you care and are listening. And be real! People like talking to a real person, so use their name when you respond to let them know you are an actual person at the other end.

Promote:

Be sure your social icons in Facebook, Twitter, etc., are visible on your website. This will make it easy for your customers to “like” or “follow” you.

• Promote your App on Facebook and your website.
  1. Acknowledge and respond to fans’ comments. Engage fans with special rewards.
  2. Create a community. Develop dialog where fans have easy access to you and customers and talk to each other freely.
• Converse with your customers via email communications.

2. CREATE REWARDS CARDS and COUPONS YOUR CUSTOMERS WANT

Create More Than One Rewards Card:

One reward that interests one person may not interest another. Offer differing rewards cards that will target more of your customers’ varied likes and interests. Setting up a reward card.

Pick an Offer Your Customers Want:

A coupon offering a 50 percent discount on orders over $20 will be ineffective if your average customer spends only $10. A great coupon needs to offer a price point that’s actually valuable to the customers.   Read Four Simple Steps to Leverage Mobile Offers and Promotions.

3. CREATE URGENCY

Send a Push Message about a time sensitive offer, which directs the recipient to your Reward Card Program or VIP Coupon.

• “Two Punch Tuesday – Today only! – receive 2 punches on your rewards card program.”
• “Free Concert Tickets – Dine with us tonight and receive Free Admission to Friday night’s entertainment.”
• “Today Only — Buy One, Get One Half Off!”