Digital marketing is a conversation, not a lecture. As important as it is to accurately communicate your services and your brand, it’s just as important that your customers be able to reach you.
And yes, your website should always include standard contact information like a company email and phone number. But your online communications options go so much further.
Whether you’re in the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina or the beautiful Gulf coast of southwest Florida, Deckard & Company’s boutique digital marketing services can set you up to be fully accessible to your customers and potential customers alike.
Here are just a few ways your website can encourage customer communication and feedback.
Customized “Contact Us” Forms
When visitors to your small business website click on your “contact us” page, what do they see?
A customized “contact us” form on your website collects basic information from interested parties while allowing them to reach out to you with questions or even requests for products and services.
These forms can ask for the person’s email and/or phone number, the reason they’re contacting you, and even their location—really, whatever information you think is pertinent (without imposing on their time or privacy).
Not only does this information help you prioritize and streamline your response, you also get a sense of who’s visiting your website and what they’re looking for.
“Sign Up for Our E-Newsletter” Prompts
Like websites, e-newsletters allow you to broadcast your company’s information to your customers. In fact, e-newsletters can be even more precise as marketing tools, since you know exactly who will be getting the message.
But e-newsletter signup prompts on your website are also ways for prospective customers to raise their hands and say to you, “Hey, I’m interested in your product and your business.” This is the digital equivalent of someone walking onto your sales floor with the intention of making a purchase. They’re not “just browsing.” They want you to step up and tell them more about what you offer.
(Note, of course, that you should never share someone’s contact info or otherwise abuse their trust. E-newsletter contact lists should be used judiciously.)
“Leave Us a Review” Prompts
Just as “Sign Up for Our E-Newsletter” prompts encourage website future customers to say to you, “I am interested in purchasing from your company,” an online review encourages existing customers to say, “I’m happy with my purchase, and here’s why.”
Positive online reviews can serve to reinforce the things you’re doing right. And as much as you never want to see a bad review, negative feedback lets you know there’s a serious problem so you can work to fix it ASAP.
In either case, you’re once again giving your customers a voice and a sense that they’re participating in a conversation.
The Website Communication Bottom Line
Any marketing professional will tell you how important it is to know who your customers are and what they’re looking for. Additionally, it’s important that your customers feel like they’re able to connect with your company when they want, and how they want.
When planning your business’s website, it’s important to remember that your ultimate goal is a direct interaction with your customers. To that end, they need to be able to reach out to you and ask their questions and tell you about their needs.
Most of all, they need to be able to get your attention and say, “Hey, this is who I am, and I’m interested in your company.”