Customers are overwhelmed, tired of being treated like a number, and bored with mainstream products and services. It sounds like a nightmare for small businesses competing with the big dogs, but it’s actually a huge opportunity ready for the taking! After all, unique offerings, personal service, and authenticity are exactly what makes your small business different from faceless multi-national competitors, and it’s exceptionally difficult for big businesses to replicate.

So, in 2023, let’s build on your brand’s strengths by putting your ultra-personal vibes out there.

Why personalisation is a must-have in 2023

Over the last few years, the whole world has been shaken up – and online businesses have surged. But as we’ve always seen in the past, it’s very clear that Aussies have a soft spot for their local businesses. Whether it’s a little coffee shop, a family accountancy practice, a surf school, a plumbing company, or an artisanal pottery shop, we can’t get enough of them. We’re innately loyal to these businesses for many reasons, from their hard graft and quirkiness to the love of supporting our communities.

Ultimately, it all comes down to the emotional connection we have with the business – something that customer experience reports emphasise as the most important component of great service. And as any business can tell you, exceptional customer service is fundamental to driving sales, growth, and success.

How to drive customer personalisation

But why is this? And how can other small businesses tap into this personal component to help their business grow by building a loyal following?

• Get the details – When you walk into a business and are greeted by name, or when they know exactly what your regular order is, it’s a pretty wonderful feeling! It’s all in the details, so make sure you’re developing your knowledge about the people who buy from you – their interests, their history of interactions with your business, their name – and make sure it’s all there for your staff to access at the click of a button so they can converse properly with every customer.

• Put your customer data to work digitally – This information can also be used for digital marketing, personalising emails, offers, and more. There should be no difference in your interactions with a customer who walks into your business than one who emails you or responds to a social media ad. 

• Show off your customer experience –  Customers WANT to use businesses where they can develop a personal relationship, where they feel they aren’t another number or sale, and where they are known. So, show it off! Use social media ads with testimonials from your regulars and boost them so a new audience gets to know you. Show your audience what you do to go the extra mile, run promotions and loyalty programs for your regulars and boost it across social media, and have some fun at the same time! 

• Always be authentic – There’s been a growing trend against businesses that say one thing and do another, and if you’re not being honest, ethical, and trustworthy, your customers will fight back. Being authentic isn’t just about avoiding reputational damage, however, it’s also a driver for sales and customer loyalty. People want to trust you – and a small business is in a much better position to develop this trust than big businesses because you are an integral part of the community, a known face and name, and contactable. And when they know you’re a business that takes your word seriously, they’ll reward you for it. Lastly, everyone is human and makes mistakes – if an error happens or a customer is unhappy, be open about it, contact them quickly, and resolve it. You’re more than likely to win them back! 

Small business digital marketing from a small business!

Digital Freak is a local online marketing agency in Melbourne, and we love working with small businesses in all industries and sectors! We’ll help you make your digital marketing, social media marketing, and email marketing more personal and more effective, without charging you big business prices. We never make promises we can’t keep, and we pride ourselves on ethical, straightforward solutions that work. Contact us for a FREE consultation and let’s make 2023 your year!