BUSINESS BASICS NUMBER 15

Don’t let your audience leave you. That is an obvious yet often overlooked business basic. By audience, we mean your customers and your prospective customers.

Audiences leave via many avenues. One avenue is that you stop speaking their language or singing their tune. If 90% of your customers prefer to communicate and do business online and your company does not have an online presence that works, then your customers will leave.

Another avenue is that you stop listening to your customers. Once customers feel that they are no longer being heard on any level, they will usually leave. No one likes to be ignored.

Another avenue is a company policy or procedure that negatively affects the customer experience. No one appreciates policies and procedures that create difficulties rather than facilitate business and resolve problems. If customers and prospective customers find that the customer experience is difficult and painful rather that smooth and enjoyable, they will look for other options (and you won’t be one of them).

Will some audience members leave you anyway? Of course, they will. No single organization can be all things to all people. Some factors exist over which you have no control.

However, as much as it is within your power to do those things that keep your audience engaged, then do it. Don’t let your audience leave you because of the things that you can control. Control those things and keep your audience.