Since the dawn of digital communications, emails, texts and social media take the lion’s share of conversation, with face to face reserved for the most important parts of our lives. This is why mastering your message is so important.
For years we’ve seen texts becoming more and more popular, and a recent YouGov report revealed that 55% of the general public would prefer to receive a text over a call.
It’s important that we bear this in mind when we’re communicating to our customers: while technology has opened up a new platform to gather potential customers, it’s how we converse with them through this mouthpiece that is an art in itself.
As human beings, we still have a desire to connect with one another, so making sure your message cuts through the noise of the constant bombardment we each receive each day – the newsletters, news notifications, texts and WhatsApps – means working efficiently to cut through to what today’s time-poor customers are looking for quickly.
The consumer’s desire for conversation has not dimmed, even in the digital age, with more and more businesses offering chat widgets in order to offer a one-to-one service.
This personalised approach is working: over half of consumers say they would rather have a chat over a customer service email.
But what is the best approach to giving your messaging a more personal touch?
Here are my tips to take your communications from transmission to conversation:
Timing Is Everything
If a consumer can’t get an answer to their question, they’re likely to look elsewhere. Make sure you have a great FAQs section on your website, and if possible answer customer messages in real-time. Being made to feel valued will build loyalty.
Make It Clear Who You Are
Ever received an unwanted message from an unknown number? That’s a sure-fire way of your message getting sent to the spam folder.
Whether it’s the verified blue tick, or your brand name delivering your message (instead of that pesky unknown number), it’s vital to make sure customers know the message is coming from a business they know and trust.
Don’t Be Afraid To Be Personal
You’re talking to your customers, even if it is digitally, so don’t be afraid to add personality to your messaging. We all like to feel we’re genuinely important to a business when we make a purchase.
Make It Easy To Engage
Messages such as order forms and status updates have very high open and click through rates. Ensuring customers receive these will increase your engagement with them over time.
Don’t Be A Bot!
As the old phrase goes, it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it, so make sure you add that human touch to your messages. Chuck out abbreviations and buzzwords in favour of a natural, conversational approach.
For more tips, you can join my free Facebook group Cracking Content here.
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For more tips, you can join my free Facebook group Cracking Content here.