Easy ways to engage with customers in real time
According to a recent *Salesforce report, the #1 challenge for marketers right now is their inability to engage with customers in real time. Other challenges included streamlining customer journey’s across different channels and collaboration.
While there are many ways to communicate and engage with customers in real time such as website personalisation, live chat and predictive content, there are also a few less complex tactics you can adopt which will move you closer to where you need to be.
*Source: Salesforce SEVENTH EDITION - State of Marketing
#1 Social Media & Community Management
This one is especially important if a lot of your business is done through social media, such as eCommerce, or your audience is highly engaged with social media.
Marketers know that social media is important. However, customers now expect real time, and instant responses to their questions and (unfortunately) complaints, so it’s important that you have the right resources in place to make this happen. Social media engagement can be managed in-house with a dedicated person, or externally with an agency or consultancy.
#2 Trigger Based Communications
If you already have your CRM, marketing automation and/or CMS set up, building a trigger based process shouldn’t be too complex. Communicating with your customers when they browse your website, download a brochure or complete a form can be made possible with a few integrations.
Trigger based comms enable real time engagement and improves conversion rates as customers are immediately engaged as they take hot lead actions on your website or interact with your brand.
#3 Real Time Customer Engagement Alerts
Our final tip is more for your sales team. Engagement alerts can be set up so that when a customer is on your website and takes a desired action, your sales team can be sent an alert in real time (or any time frame) that their customer is engaging with your brand.
This notification is a simple way for the sales team to re-engage with a prospect or lead at just the right time. This method in particular is perfect for high-value products and services with a longer lead time.
These 3 methods are definitely a good start towards your goal of engaging with customers in real time. With a little know how (and a little tech expertise), it can be achieved.
Investing in this type of activity will no doubt improve not only revenue, but conversion rates, NPS scores and retention rates - 3 metrics required for positive and profitable growth.
Interested in implementing something like this?
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