7 tactics for improving customer engagement on a tight budget
You can include any of the following seven suggestions for improving engagement in your customer engagement strategy, since theyâre free to implement (if not free forever) or require only a cash-free incentive. Your biggest investment will be your time, so plan how to use it wisely.
1. Be active on social media
âIn 2022, over 4.59 billion people were using social media worldwideâ and this number is set to rise to almost 6 billion by 2027.
Create compelling and shareable content, engage with customers through comments and direct messages, run contests and giveaways, and provide customer support. Customers can then engage with your organisation in real time, creating more of a bond, so you can build long-lasting relationships. Youâll also get a better understanding of customer needs and preferences.
- Get started: Free
- Costs: Ads if you choose to use them
2. Fill your blog with useful content
Having a blog helps you drive traffic to your website, establish your authority, improve your SEO rankings, and express your unique brand personality.
Create high-quality, informative content relevant to your target audience, encourage comments and social sharing, use visuals and multimedia to enhance engagement, and actively promote your blog through email newsletters and social media. Your blog posts not only help build trust and relationships with customers, they should offer valuable information and resources to help your readers make informed decisions.
- Get started: Free
- Costs: Domain name and hosting services
3. Send emails to customers regularly
99% of people check their email every day and OptinMonster says email marketing is far from dead; it has a 4400% ROI.
Create personalised and relevant content, segment your email list to target specific groups, include clear calls to action, and provide exclusive promotions or incentives. Regular emails keep customers informed about everything youâre doing, from new or upgraded products and services to latest offers, which consistently reminds them of the value your business brings.
- Get started: Free
- Costs: Advanced platform features if you choose to use them
4. Give away freebies
Once a customer has accepted a free gift, working on the principle of commitment theyâre then more likely to spend money on your product.
Offer complimentary perks or value-added benefits to your customers, like free shipping, extended warranty, or exclusive access to content or events relevant to your audience. This encourages customers to make a purchase and keeps them feeling valued and connected.
- Get started: Non-cash expense
- Costs: Prizes or experiences if you choose to offer them
5. Launch an AI chatbot
Consumer chatbot usage has doubled since 2020 and McKinsey estimates âhalf of todayâs work activities could be automated between 2030 and 2060â.
Deliver round-the-clock customer support, handle queries and transactions instantly, reduce contact volumes and wait times, offer more personalised services, upsell and cross-sell, and integrate with your other business systems for a seamless omnichannel experience. AI automation is essential to be able to provide an efficient, personalised, and convenient way for your customers to get the answers they need quickly.
6. Use live chat
Live chat provides an opportunity to quickly increase the efficiency of your customer services, offering instant support for issues that canât be automated. Resolving queries in real time can improve customer satisfaction and engagement while maintaining a personal connection with your customers where needed.
Incidentally, the more you use live chat to speak with customers who need help directly from your teams, the more you learn where the gaps are in your support services. You can then train an AI assistant to answer those queries to reduce the need for people to call in, which naturally reduces live chat handovers.