Are you REALLY connecting with your customers?

As small business owners we often fall into the trap of posting anything just for the sake of posting something (we talked about that a couple of weeks ago in this article)... but often we miss the mark in really connecting with our customers.

Connecting with customers is a strategic effort to create relationships beyond their first purchase.... here are five ways I have found success in creating those relationships.

• When posting in your Facebook Group, post as your profile and not your Facebook Page.  This gives your group members a feeling of connectivity with a real person instead of an entity.
• Share your successes... but be humble.  Customers who have supported your business want to hear about your achievements, but being overly boastful can be a huge turn off for customers... especially when it feels constant.  
• Post the "every day" you.  If the every day you is sweatpants and a tee, don't be afraid to show your customers that.  Let your customers see who you are and not just who we want social media to see us as.
• Be relatable & spark conversations based on those commonalities with others.  Find common ground with your customers that you can have a group convo about.
• Show your customers that you value them.  

Think about the businesses you support.... why do you support them?  What draws you to them?  Those answers will probably give you some great ideas on additional ways to connect with your customers :)