How Digital Marketing Can Build Customer Relationships

One of the greatest things the modern world has to offer is an outstanding variety of choices one can make. This statement extends to all spheres of our lives but is particularly relevant when it comes to purchasing goods and services. When approaching the purchase with caution, the customer is free to compare and contrast the products they are being offered, and based on their personal criteria, decide which one is more appealing to their needs. However, what happens when in the customers’ eyes, two products have similar characteristics? 

Thanks to the rapid popularization of Social Media in recent years, it has been continuously becoming more and more easy to shape opinion and subsequently share it with the masses. As we are progressing further into merging the two planes — the real and the virtual —we are now more aware of the overall situation in the market we are exploring. 

Indeed, due to the endless stream of information, we are surrounded by, we can obtain all the knowledge we require about a certain brand or even a particular product it promotes that would later help us decide whether it is worthy of our attention. And this is where Digital Marketing strategies come in handy in order to persuade the customers to favor one thing over another.

The answer to the question stated earlier in the article is unacceptably obvious. Whenever customers cannot draw a clear distinction between two homologous items based on their qualities, they tend to choose the one that has a stronger brand image, the one they feel personally attached to. Understanding this is what lies in the foundation of successful marketing. In modern realities, it is Digital Marketing in particular that helps build customer relationships. 

While in the past there used to be a high degree of detachment between the manufacturer and the buyers that would utilize the produced goods as the two parties would only interact via brief commercials or the back of the packaging, now there are many ways in which the two can get connected. In fact, one of the recent studies regarding customer expectations shows that 78% of customers would more likely choose those brands helping people connect through their social media pages. And striking 76% of respondents stated that they would rather make a purchase from a brand they felt connected to than from the brand’s competitor who did not put any effort into communicating with the audience. Therefore, establishing a dialogue on major social media such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter could help your business generate bigger sales and is essential for your business because it builds trust. 

Benefits Of Having A Strong Digital Marketing Strategy

Launching well through-through digital marketing campaigns that would address the needs of your target audience exactly can be the competitive edge that would lead your company to success. 

Personalization 

One of the things that customers crave in the world of mass production and mass marketing is customization of the product they are purchasing. While you cannot always appeal this desire through changing the concept of the goods or services you deliver, you can attempt to make it appear so. The business world is currently heading towards converting entirely to the economy of impressions. This means that the physical product customers buy is practically inseparable from the experience that accompanies the purchase. Moreover, it is often the latter that plays the deciding role in shaping opinion about the quality of a particular product. 

Therefore, emphasizing on delivering personalized responses to customers online can kill two birds with one stone. The brand is creating a feeling of customization of the product by avoiding automated messages, which satisfies their initial need for attention to them personally, as well as enhances the overall customer experience. 

Apart from that, you are also increasing the engagement, and make it pleasurable for the customers to turn to your services, which positively affects brand loyalty. 

Storytelling

As boring and cliché as it sounds, storytelling still remains incredibly important for attracting new customers and keeping the already existing ones excited for more. Digital Marketing and active social media presence, in particular, is an excellent way of conveying your brand message to your target audience. In fact, by uploading regular posts that show the backstage of your business, you get closer to your customers. 

As long as you keep your social media behavior coherent and go in the same direction both in your uploads and in comments, you can create a well-rounded alive image in your customers’ heads and be able to tell them exactly what you want them to hear. 

Rewarding the Customers

It is in human nature to want to be rewarded and praised. While giving out presents in exchange for brand loyalty is not exactly new business practice, with the introduction of digital marketing, it has become much easier to execute. In fact, this is beneficial for both the brand and the customer. After taking the matter into the virtual plane, businesses no longer have to worry about the expenses associated with the gifts they would have to present to their customers, as these benefits could be virtual, too (e.g. shout outs to the most active followers, access to exclusive content etc.). At the same time, this would increase the degree of customers’ intimacy with the brand.

Feedback 

At last but definitely not least, one of the most useful things that social media can be used for is receiving feedback from the customers. People can message your brand on various platforms to inform you about their feelings regarding the product. Through having this sort of conversation, you can not only gain immediate insight into how the public perceives your goods. It also allows the customers to feel involved in the process of making the goods. This creates a stronger bond between the brand and its customers, which subsequently result in better customer relationships. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, it can be said that having a strong digital marketing strategy definitely affects the way your brand is perceived by the customers. By being active on social media and maintaining a continuous conversation with the target audience, brands can gain customer trust and therefore build strong customer relationships.

Author’s Bio: Cheryl Hearts is a talented journalist from Boston, Massachusetts. From an early age, she was into writing so she decided to make it her career. Obtaining a Master’s Degree in Journalism has boosted her desire to grow as a journalist and currently she contributors to major media publications. Cheryl also runs her blog CherylHearts.com where she shares her opinion on topics trending in modern society.