Every business and online businesses especially struggles with customer churn. Here are some recommendations for improving the so-called Customer Churn Rate through good education.
There are several phases of communicating with customers. They are described by marketing funnels.
Phase 1 - Customer Acquisition
Don't create unrealistic expectations.
When you first talk about your brand and products be honest and open. Introducing yourself truthfully and without exaggeration will bear fruits. Always. Why? Because after you win the customer over, they'll know the truth anyway.
If your product is software and you claim it has some specific feature, but customers find out that it's not entirely true, they'll be disappointed - and that is a reason to leave.
Don't bend reality.
Customers will learn the truth anyway. Never promise anything that you can't deliver like unrealistic discounts or features you don't have yet. You'll only create obligations towards your customers that will backfire if you don't deliver. The same goes for overly optimistic roadmaps, etc.
Less is better.
Keep an eye on your customers' needs. You may think you need to stand out above the competition and have the best product on the market. But the customer decides what is best. Customers need to trust you and your service first and foremost. To be understood, you need to communicate with them clearly.
Be helpful.
Teach your customers. Educate them about something that will be helpful for them. Help them to be more successful and participate on their success. It will build trust and position you well.
This will ensure that you will get customers who understand you, who have realistic expectations and who know what they are buying and who they are buying it from.
Phase 2 - Onboarding and Nurturing
Keep making an effort.
Don't stop trying to make your customers successful. Onboarding is a challenging discipline, especially when it's happenning online. Make sure your customers know what to do and how to use your products. Help them to become masters at using your products.
What comes next?
Keep your customers informed.
Once you've acquired a customer, ensure they know what they need to do to move forward on their journey and don't get off the track. Keep them informed and monitor their progress. This stage is critical, and the risk of a customer leaving because they can't understand how to use something is still high.
Help your customers to use the product.
Teach your customers how to use your products. They will become successful and satisfied. Conversely, if you leave them to their fate, you can be sure they won't stay with you for long.
Help your customers with something they are interested in.
If you can, help your customers with what matters most to them. After all, that's what it takes to succeed in their work and achieve their goals. If you sell CRM software, teach them to be good salespeople. If you sell tennis rackets, think about teaching them to play tennis or swing a racket.
Do you want to learn more about educating customers? What do you need to educate them about, and how to set up the proper communication at each stage? Read more articles for example What does marketing and customer education have in common? Check our courses or contact us and we'll be happy to help you.
