As a business, you should strive towards creating a trusting relationship between you and your clients or customers. In case you haven’t noticed, the reason the big businesses spend billions of dollars on advertizing, bombarding us day in and day out with ads on every possible media platform, is because they want to create familiarity.

The chances of customers heading out to make a purchase are higher if they are familiar with the product they are buying. We tend to buy what we know; we are wary of new products.

When it comes to your website, it can be a good tool to use in improving communication with your customers. When you open up to your customers and they feel that you actually care about them, they will look preferably at your goods and services.

On the contrary, if you present yourself as a cold business with no human factor involved, you could push them away.

So, let us look at how you can improve your customer communication via your website:

1. An Input Section

Your business website shouldn’t be a one-way communication channel. No matter how confident you may be about what you have to offer, there will always be someone who will have questions, comments and suggestions about it. The best way you can hear from them is if you have an input section; don’t wait for them to go to their email application and compose a message to you.

A comments/contact page is a must. It is all a matter of adding a few lines of code, but it will help you stay in contact with ease.

2. A How To Section

Every great business has a “How To” page or a knowledge base where visitors can go to find out more about their purchases. Use this page to inform them about what they should expect, what the product does, how they should go about operating/using it, what could go wrong and how to contact you (or to find out more) in case they still have doubts or queries.

Keep this page updated as your product range increases or newer versions come out.

3. Freebies, Gifts, etc.

Everyone likes free stuff. The best way you can put a prospective customer at ease is by offering a free trial of your services. Right off, they will see that you are confident enough to let them try them and still expect them to come back for the premium offers.

Alternatively, you can go the gift way: when they make a purchase of “X” say you will throw in “Y” for free. The thought of getting something for free (even if it really isn’t – wink-wink) will serve as a good persuasion mechanism.

4. Social Media Matters

Social media platforms are integral in creating a “family” out of your customers. A satisfied customer could do more for you (in terms of getting your products noticed) than your independent advertizing campaigns.

Aim at giving all (and more) to make your clients happy and then ask them to spread the word about you by sharing your website or linking your social media page to theirs. Have a page where they can leave their testimonies for others to read. Nothing convinces a doubtful customer more than the words of other like customers who have done business with you and are happy with the outcome.

5. Automate Everything

There are great APIs and applications out there that will help make your clients’ purchasing experience a smooth and straightforward one. Make use of them instead of having to ask them to do things manually. They will thank you for it.

6. Personalize Communications

A good way to reach out to your clients is by sending out news and information communiqué bursts. You should have a page that allows you to capture your clients’ email addresses and create a mailing list. Use it to send out frequent updates, news bulletins and “personal communication” (on birthdays, or holidays, for example).

But also, always make sure that you use their names and not a generic “Dear Sir or Madam.” At the bottom, don’t just sign off harshly. Add a personal touch by adding your (or your communication officer’s) name and signature.

7. Eat Humble Pie

No matter how good you think you are doing, and even if the sales charts show a skywards rocketing trend, don’t be too cocky. There is always a margin of improvement and you may not see it. Ask your clients and consumers what you can do to improve your services, your products or anything else, for that matter.

Take their comments and recommendations to heart and try to work on them. Making one customer happy will bear fruit exponentially.

8. Cut Response Times

Don’t make your clients wait for ages to get a response. At the very least, immediately send out an acknowledgement of receipt to their input (email, comment, etc.).

Then, have the person responsible (PR department, for example) start working on resolving or addressing the issue immediately. While it might not appear so, you can rest assured your clients will almost always be waiting for an answer to come back soon. So, don’t test their patience.

Apart from these measures, keep an ear to the ground and find out how your competition is handling their clients – then emulate it. All’s fair in business and war, after all.