Your Customer’s Search Intent
When your customer does a search on your product or an alternative to your product, what the wh’s the intent?
Search intent carries different levels of risk for switching. Your goal is to always bkeep the search risk from escalating to a higher level. Effectively anticipating the “why” behind your customer’s search can help you proactively get the credit you are due, or, at minimum, blunt the negativity about your brand that the search may produce.
Consider these three search intentions, ordered from lowest to highest risk:
Lessons
- “I’m in good hands….right?” (When your customer searches for confirmation or validation.) Truth is, it is darn hard to manage a customer’s expectations all the time. Dealing with post-purchase dissonance is a fact of life for most firms. Bottomline, customers seek validation they are in good hands.
- “I just want to know what else is out there.” (When your customer searches for curiosity relief.) What you can do: Help your customer discover you! The saddest situation is to lose a customer to a competitor over a service your customer doesn’t even know you provide. Finally, prepare for the fact your customers will always be “window-shopping.” This is a fact in today’s Googlized world.
- “Gotta make a change—Now!” (When your customer searches to switch) In this situation is customer is in full eruption mode. A trigger event has occurred and your customer intends to switch. Sad as it may be, sometimes the switch momentum is so strong that defection is inevitable. Always remain gracious. Send a letter of apology. And if the customer is “Win-Back” worthy, begin the process. 🙂
This is a post as part of my blog series about Earning Customer Loyalty in a Digital World. Along with sharing what I know, I’ll be reaching out to experts for their tips on making the most of digital platforms. Whether you are a solo contributor, small to medium-size business owner or play a role on a Corporate Team (or some combination), I’ll be writing with you in mind. LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Facebook Marketplace, Twitter, etc.—there’s lots to learn!
And, readers, please let me hear from you — Many of you are thought leaders and experts in your own field. Please share your knowledge and call me out when I have something wrong. That way, we can be on this learning journey together!