How Do You Collect Data On Your Customers?

Your business is sustained by the customers. There may be several other factors that come into play but ultimately, you need your customers and to keep them satisfied and wanting more, you have to know who they are, what they need and what they want.

Data collection is part and parcel of your task to connect and build formidable relationships with your customers. How you collect information, there is really no limit, just as long as you are able to obtain the right information. The following are some of the strategies that you can employ when data gathering: 

1. Give them an option to sign-up to your newsletter. While some companies are fond of sending out spam newsletters via email to complete strangers who will be quick to skip or delete it, others have the decency to offer subscription. If you have regular newsletters and updates that you send out, give your customers and your potential connections the opportunity to subscribe. This will help determine your customers’ particular fancy. What post of yours convinced them to subscribe? From this you will know who your customers are.
2. Set-up Google Analytics on your website. Do you know what drives people to your site? You see traffic and they may be good or bad on particular days, but do you know how to interpret the activity on your page? You can setup Google Analytics for this. This will identify which avenues direct readers/customers to your site. What search keywords win you most visits? What posts of yours are most significant?
3. Join forums. A forum is a place in the web that allows a certain group of people to convene together. Some forums are of a specific topic, so it gives users a chance to communicate with experts and other users to be able to share information, make inquiries and share problems. Some forums are generalized and are frequented by a wide selection of people. Either type of forum will be beneficial for your need, just as long you are able to capture the attention of the members. If they have a promotional thread, make use of it to introduce your business. If you encounter inquiries where you can shine and share your expertise, take the opportunity.

There are so many other things that you can do to gather information from your customers—information that you can use for your business. Forums, subscription links and Google Analytics are only some of the most popular. But do not limit yourself to these examples only.