In B2B customers are always going for (a) the best solution for their company and (b) the best all-around experience.
Why? Because they know they’re required to have a long-term relationship with your company.
If you can’t deliver the engagement they’re looking for, they’ll leave as soon as they get the chance.
What customer engagement actually means for B2B companies...
On a macro level, it's how you quantify the connection between your customers and your brand. But most companies overlook an important in-between step: customer engagement isn't just about the connection, it's about all the different processes that lead to that connection.
How you create, build, nurture, and maintain relationships with your customers all fall under the umbrella of customer engagement.
- Creating exceptional value from your products and services
- Delivering post-sale support and services
- Providing relevant, informative content through various channels
- Solidifying the customer experience through personalized and meaningful interactions
- Creating a feedback loop, where customers participate in shaping the future of your brand
In a nutshell, that's what you should actually think of when someone in your organization brings up "customer engagement."
4 customer engagement tips every B2B company should follow
1. Always be ahead of the curve.
Anticipating your customers’ needs before they have to voice them is a great way to show them you've got their back.
Your customers themselves are the best sources of data, here. To know what they're going through, you need to focus your customer engagement strategy on continuous bi-directional communication and feedback.
There's no shortage of ways to do this, but here are a few battle-tested ideas to consider:
- Surveys — Ask your customers for feedback via an email survey form or in-app questionnaire.
- Newsletters — Update customers on your business, products, features, integrations, and hacks they can use to get more value from what you offer.
- Conferences and webinars — Foster your community by hosting events where you teach, learn from, and network with your customers.
- Loyalty programs — Encourage loyalty through discounts, early access, and advocacy (more on this later).
Either directly or through data analysis, these channels translate to insights you can use to make proactive improvements to the customer experience. When are they usually available? Which features would they like you to implement? What information are they looking for but can't find?
2. Create more frequent touchpoints.
Countless businesses have a tendency to close the deal and forget about it. They might have a newsletter, a blog, and surveys they send out periodically. These are great for keeping clients updated, but they don't facilitate regular contact that pertains to how they use your product.
You need to maintain a consistent presence in your customers' minds. And that's where regular touchpoints come in.
- Guided onboarding flows and email sequences
- Monthly usage reports
- Achievement badges for milestones
- Quarterly 1:1 conversations with your success team
- Personalized product recommendations based on usage and behavior
- Subscription renewal and billing reminders
The key here is to find the right balance between being helpful and being intrusive. You want to be present and valuable, but not overbearing.
3. Use a "giving first" approach.
"Add value" is B2B Sales 101.
Every high-performing seller knows not to ask for a demo right away. They have to give first, whether it's through time or information.
This concept is also something you need to apply to your customer engagement strategy.
- Send your Champion a personalized gift
- Give customers free access to new features
- Invite them to customer-only webinars and training sessions
- Talk about them in your company blog or social media channels
- Send them personalized thank you notes for their feedback and suggestions
- When you implement a feature they suggested, invite them to a private demo and let them know their contribution played a role
When customers see genuine effort to provide value outside of the transactional relationship, they're more likely to reciprocate by staying engaged with your brand (and recommending it to others).
4. Turn customers into brand advocates.
Every business needs expert ambassadors — customers so engaged with your company they'll want to share their experiences with others.
A customer advocacy program is all about turning someone who bought or subscribes to your product into an active promoter who:
- Encourages others to do business with you (referrals and references)
- Interacts with your target customers on socials (UGC)
- Helps you create content (case studies and features)
- Publishes their positive experiences online (reviews and ratings)
Once you've emotionally connected with your customer base on that level, you've cracked the code. They'll always want to talk about you because they feel proud, taken care of, and part of your tribe. And you'll have the social proof to show for it.
Use Deeto to run your entire customer advocacy program. Customers input their own feedback, availability, and communication preferences. Whenever they refer a customer, participate in a reference call, leave a glowing review, or help you create quality content, they can get rewarded for their word-of-mouth contributions. Request a demo to see how it works.
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