Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

By Briana Marvell
Business is going digital, which means more and more customer relationships are fostered through social media rather than face-to-face interactions. For many small businesses, this can be a large shift in how they communicate and it isn’t always an easy change. Still, with the right tools and advice, you can easily stay connected with your customers online.

Stay engaged with your customers

It may feel awkward or inauthentic at first, but keeping contact with your customers online goes a long way in helping them feel appreciated. The key is making sure you stay empathetic and understanding, checking in on them as a person and not just a customer you’d like to sell to. You may even want to check in more frequently than you usually would to avoid falling “out of sight, out of mind.”
Invest in your communication tools

Maintaining a digital presence will take some extra time, but there are plenty of tools to make the process easy and keep your communications polished. The first step is to brainstorm some content for social media, blogs, and newsletters — however you like to stay in touch. Try out some social media scheduling tools to get a feel for what you like, then begin planning your content schedule to save some time.

Once you have your content ideas, you’ll want to actually start creating. This will likely call for some photos or video. It’s a great idea to invest in a quality camera and lighting equipment. Even if you’re not planning on launching a YouTube series, these tools can help elevate your communication and are great for keeping video conferences and meetings professional, too.

Now that you have content scheduled and plenty of visual assets to help promote your work, you may find your storage is a little lacking. Investing in cloud storage can help save you space on your devices and gives you access to your files anywhere you go. This is especially helpful if you find yourself jumping between a home office, meetings, and a business office often.

Creative ways to stay connected

Once you have the tools you need to stay connected, it’s important that you don’t fall into a rut with your posts. It’s always great to promote your products and services, but it can get a little stale for your customers. Keep them engaged by switching up your content formats and getting creative with your ideas.
If you’re used to chatting with your customers in person, consider hosting a coffee break to nurture that personal connection. Have a few talking points ahead of time to break the ice, like discussing your favorite kind of coffee or a movie you watched recently.

If you’re interested in boosting your online engagement, try hosting a competition on social media to get your customers talking. These are also a great way to partner with other local businesses to increase each of your followings and give more or larger prizes away.

Another great way to keep your communication fresh is to keep an eye on what other businesses are doing. Museums are offering virtual tours, bakeries are creating monthly subscription boxes, and DJs are hosting shows on social media. Each of these has found a way to take the core of their business and offer it in a creative way without the need to meet in person. Follow other local businesses to see how you can take your services further digitally.
If you’re ready to take your digital communications further, check out these tips and tools to stay connected virtually.

(Infographic provided by https://www.rentspree.com/.)

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Briana Marvell is a content creator from Austin, TX, with interests in business and finance. When not at her desk, you can find her diving into a new book or hiking with her dog, Miko.