For various businesses around the globe, email is the go-to when it comes to customer communication tools. Companies use email to help customers manage their memberships, change passwords, get notifications, share promotions, and more. 

But in 2022, we have a plethora of customer contact options that, when used correctly, can be very successful and compliant. 

So, how do you communicate with customers and prospects effectively in 2022? Read on as we share the benefits of communication tools like SMS and email and how you can use them to build rapport with your members using online teaching platforms like Mastera.  

In this article: 

  • The Importance of Customer Communication
  • 3 Strategies to Help You Communicate with Customers Valuably  

Customer Communication

The Importance of Customer Communication

Communication is so much more than sending off a few emails. It’s the contact point between your business and your prospects or customers. Sharing your expertise, knowledge, and unique selling points with them is a pivotal part of building solid relationships and creating a positive customer experience. As we all know – customer experience is the key to a business’s success. Here’s why:

  • 73% of consumers feel that a good experience is vital to influencing how loyal they are to a brand. 
  • In the U.S., 59% of customers will walk away after having several bad experiences. 
  • U.S. consumers are willing to pay 17% more to buy from a business with a reputation for excellent service. 

There’s no denying that customer experience has a crucial impact on whether your prospects and customers are happy with your brand and if they’re willing to stick with it. Communicating with customers helps you build the trust you need to keep them pleased, and, more importantly, loyal to your business. 

loyal to your business.

3 Strategies to Help You Communicate with Customers Valuably

1. Combine Email Marketing with SMS Marketing

As the generations evolve, more people are interested in receiving communication from brands via SMS, whereas previously, email was the most dominant method of brand communication. With this in mind, companies should be engaging their audience with SMS marketing in addition to email. 

But the real power lies in combining the two communication methods. With mobile devices being in the palms of so many hands worldwide – email and text messages can be viewed on one device. This means your brand has a chance to keep both methods working in unison which helps you gain good traction with customers and prospects – compliantly.

Compliance is a major part of marketing today – and it should be top of mind for all businesses. The good thing about email and SMS marketing is that both are entirely permission-based. This means that you are legally allowed to communicate with any prospect or customer that opts into your emails and text messages. 

Another useful way of getting more questions from prospects and customers is by using a chat widget on your website. This way, you can engage with them quicker and more direct.

You can configure a chat widget within an online course platform like Mastera using your phone or email information: 

 

Mastera

Mastera’s inbox feature allows you to manage both SMS and email messages with clients and see entire conversations – all in one space. Suppose a customer has both their mobile and email information on file. In that case, the platform matches it up with the customer’s existing record for ease of use and organizing of customer information.  

 

2. Use the Right Language

Gone are the days when you need to scream, ‘OFFER ENDS IN 6 HOURS!’ to customers. The truth is that they’re tired of that type of messaging, and instead, they’re just looking for an honest conversation with you. 

The idea is to keep messaging light-hearted, fun, engaging, and short. Write your marketing content as if you’re speaking to a friend. A common mistake is when businesses write casual text messages but extremely formal emails. Emails are no longer a black-tie affair – make them friendly and stick to the same tone across both platforms. A unified voice is one you definitely should be aiming for. 

Try to add a CTA (call-to-action) to every SMS and email that goes out. It doesn’t have to be anything too flashy – just a link or button that is available for a customer to click on should they want to learn more, contact you, or just read a bit more about your business via your website or online course platform. Giving people a place to click through helps gain conversions and measure how well your campaign is doing.

You can create both email campaigns and SMS campaigns within Mastera. This allows you to send out promotional and educational campaigns to your database and manage your campaign messages via your inbox. 

 

3. Personalize Your Messaging

If a customer is subscribed to both email and SMS communications, you can offer personalized messaging to them – so that you’re targeting the right message to the right audience. 

This refers to customer segmentation, where you are able to segment your members based on various categories. These categories could be specific interests, fitness goals, visit frequency, membership type, etc. 

Remember the basics, too – address your customers by their name, and pay attention to the details in your text. For example, add context based on previous emails and text messages you sent out. This way, you’re telling a story and letting your customers see that you are following the journey along with them. 

Mastera: Enabling You to Keep the Conversation Going 

It’s no secret that customer communication has many angles to it. But that doesn’t mean it has to be complicated to do. With Mastera’s advanced inbox, chat widget, and email and SMS campaign features, you can easily converse with clients and manage your marketing material in one space. 

At Mastera, we’re all about empowering you by providing state-of-the-art online teaching and communication tools so that you can focus on teaching your passion and building customer relationships.

If you want to learn more about how Mastera can help you feel free to chat with us.