The Value of Social Media for Retaining Customers

A big part of business is attracting clients to your brand and developing a customer base, but it’s just as important that you’re able to retain that client base and keep them satisfied with your service. It used to be that businesses were rather detached from their customer bases; there was no real way for customers to communicate with businesses; you had to call a hotline or maybe even send in a letter, and then you’d have to wait for weeks to get a reply.

Of course, the advent of the internet means that businesses have had to become more transparent. It was once that customers voted with their wallets, but now that can also take to the internet to air their concerns, and businesses can easily access this information and respond accordingly. While it’s important to acquire new customers, keeping your existing customers is just as vital to your business success. The majority of businesses thrive on repeat business, so it’s crucial that businesses are savvy about how they present themselves online.

Social Media as a Customer Retention Tool

The most popular social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are not only completely free to use, but are arguably your most powerful tools for your online presence. If you don’t have a Facebook page or a Twitter account for your business yet, then

As a social site Facebook gives Businesses the chance to interact with their customers in a relaxed and relatively informal space. Traditional methods of customer contact got the job done but lacked the personal connection that customers value so much. They want to be able to speak to someone, and there’s no better way to do this than through social media.

Why is this, exactly? Rather than having to trawl through scores of emails and making loads of phone calls, a customer can post a query or a comment to your Facebook page. Many companies employ people to handle their social media, and by having a dedicated expert to deal with incoming feedback and manage your online reputation, you can make better use of your resources and work on improving your business processes to make your customers even happier.

Social Media also gives businesses the chance to show off their brand and create a personality that people are drawn to, the things that separate them from competitors. Many businesses use their Facebook pages and Twitter accounts to post helpful links, relevant news stories, jokes, pictures and videos. By providing your customers with content and links that they find valuable or entertaining, you assert your businesses status and has you standing out from the crowd.

The way that your business comes across online will have a notable impact on its overall reputation, and the more that customers see how responsive you are to feedback and questions, the more likely they are to remain your customers whilst attracting new ones.