Get to Know Your Customers Day

Did you know that the third Thursday of every quarter (January, April, July, and October) is Get to Know Your Customers Day?

It’s probably not a day you have circled on your calendar. But it doesn’t have to be. That’s because getting to know your customers is something you can easily do all year long.

The More You Know, the More You Grow

Knowledge is like fertilizer. The more you learn about what makes your customers tick — their likes and dislikes — the greater chance you have of cultivating a relationship that helps to grow a healthy business.

So let’s look at a few easy ways you can learn more about your customers on a regular basis and how you can apply that knowledge to your business.

1. Ask questions.

Want to know your customers better? Talk to them. Ask them questions. Sure, personal questions about their day are fine. But don’t be afraid to ask the straightforward and pointed questions that can help you make business decisions. For example:

• How satisfied are you with our current products and services?
• What can my business do to better serve you?
• What value do we provide?
• What are your biggest challenges?
• Why did you choose us over the competition?

When you ask these types of questions, don’t be afraid to poke at the “why” and “how.” Honest answers often provide a fuller understanding of what you might need to change or not change to keep your customers happy.

2. Spend time on social media.

Everyone has an opinion. And when you go on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, it seems like almost everyone likes to share their opinions with the world. When you’re running a business, this steady flow of information can be a good thing. Use it to your advantage.

Along with posting, it can be a good idea to pay attention to what your customers are saying in their comments and other interactions. Are there products or services they like? Are there some they’d like to see? You can even ask those types of questions to help spur valuable feedback.

3. Attend — or host — an event.

If you go to your local town or city’s website, there’s a good chance they have a calendar of events throughout the year.

Find an event that might be a good fit for your business and go — or host one yourself. You may encounter customers who are happy or dissatisfied with your business — or businesses like yours. The dialogue you can have and insights you can collect can go a long way toward retaining current customers or bringing aboard new ones.

4. Create customer profiles.

Consider using customer relationship management (CRM) software or social media analytics tools to help keep track of your customers and extract data. From names and contact info to sales history and interactions, these tools can give you deeper insight into your customers’ habits, preferences, and behaviors.

You also may be able to use certain tools, such as those for email, to automate personal greetings tied to your customers’ birthdays or other special occasions. Acknowledge their day, offer tailored deals and discounts to celebrate it, and monitor responses.

Personalized messages can be a great way to get closer to your customers and build brand loyalty.

We’re Always Working to Support Our Customers

Another way to get closer to your customers? Put yourself in their shoes. Understand their desires. Feel their pain points. And then tailor your services or product offerings to their needs.

That’s exactly what we do at Simply Business®. know insurance is a big deal when it comes to running a business. We also know that our customers have better things to do than figuring out on their own what kind of insurance coverage they need.

That’s where we can help. And we make the entire process simple. Our free online quote tool is designed to get the info we need to find a quote for your type of business. We also have licensed agents just a phone call away at 844-654-7272. They know the right questions to ask to find insurance coverage tailored to your specific business needs.

Plus, we have a wealth of helpful tools and information for small business owners in our online resource center. Check them out! They’re free, as well.