Receiving your postcard in the mail.
Seeing your sign, banner, or online banner ad.
Scrolling your social media feeds.
Checking out your online reviews and ratings.
Visiting your shop, office, or website.
Purchasing your product or service.
Calling or live chatting with your customer service department.
Receiving your sales thank-you letter.
Filling out your product or experience feedback survey.
These are all examples of customer touchpoints, the interactions between your business and its customers that can drastically influence your success. In this article, we’ll explore the importance of these touchpoints in helping you land new customers, generate loyal fans, and gain a competitive edge.
What are customer touchpoints?
Touchpoints refer to the moments when your customer – or potential customer – interacts with or encounters your brand in some way. These interactions can happen before, during, or after they purchase your product or service.
For example:
- Before the sale – Marketing messaging, direct mail, a sign or banner, ratings, reviews, peer referrals, testimonials, word-of-mouth, and community involvement
- During the sale – Your office or store, website, phone calls, and point-of-sale promotions
- After the sale – Transactional correspondence, service and support, billing, follow-up messaging, and thank-you notes
The quality of your customer’s experience during these and any other interaction with your company significantly affects their perceptions of your brand, and ultimately, their buying decisions.
So, how can you capitalize on these opportunities to make a positive impression on your customers? Optimize the touchpoints.
How to optimize your customer touchpoints
The following are three helpful hints for optimizing your customer touchpoints to foster positive interactions at every step for a smooth customer journey.
- Identify your customer touchpoints – Walk through your customer’s journey and make a note of all the opportunities for them to interact with your brand before, during, and after the sale.
- Develop a strategy – Determine how you can enhance your customer’s experience at each touchpoint to instill more meaningful interactions and improve their overall experience and brand perception.
- Execute and monitor your success – Keep track of your customer’s perceptions and experiences with your brand at every touchpoint using tools like customer feedback surveys.
Advantages of understanding customer touchpoints
Understanding customer touchpoints can pay dividends for your business by:
- Helping you foster a favorable brand image
- Reducing marketing waste
- Enhancing your company’s marketing ROI
- Getting a leg up on the competition
- Growing your bottom line
With so many choices available for virtually every product and service, consumers are in control. They expect the brands they work with to deliver an exceptional experience. Understanding your customer’s journey and the various touchpoints along the way can help you connect with them and earn their trust – two influential factors for growing your business.
If you’re interested in learning more about using print and direct mail to enhance your customer touchpoints, reach out to our marketing-savvy team today. We have over 20 years of experience delivering high-quality, accurate, and efficient print-driven communications for companies of all sizes. With a focus on excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement, we are a printing partner you can trust to exceed your expectations at every turn.
