Customer engagement is something we talk about time and time again. And here’s why: it’s critical to your success as a small business owner.

For example, we recently discussed some of the many ways to boost your customer engagement strategy.

Some business owners don’t focus enough resources on customer engagement because they simply don’t realize how important it is to the overall health and growth of their company. It’s these same business owners who are often surprised by statistics like these:

• 54% of customers think companies need to fundamentally transform how they engage. (Salesforce)
• 75% of customers expect companies to use new technologies to create better experiences. (Salesforce)
• 86% of buyers are willing to pay more for a great customer experience. (SuperOffice)
• 72% of customers will share a positive experience with six or more people. (SlideShare)
• Companies that excel at customer experience have 1.5 times more engaged employees than less customer-focused companies. (Forbes)
• 80% of consumers indicated they are more likely to do business with a company if it offers personalized experiences. (Thanx)

Not only do these customer engagement statistics surprise many business owners, but they also prompt a large portion of them to alter their approach.

For example, an overwhelmingly large percentage of buyers are willing to pay more if they receive a great customer service experience in return. And when it comes to the customer service experience, engagement is a big part of it.

So, while you may spend more resources engaging your customers, you’re able to earn it back – hopefully, plus some – in the end.

If you don’t have a comprehensive, high-performing customer engagement strategy in place, it’s time to make a change. This may be just what your small business needs to reach more of its goals.

For more insights on marketing strategy that actually works for small business, connect with Jay Bean, Founder of FreshLime and Small Business Marketing Expert on LinkedIn and Twitter. If any of these tips have helped you or if you have anything to add, please comment below. We’d love to hear from you!

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