Listening to Your Customers: The Key to Improving Your Craft Business
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As a craft business owner, your customers are at the heart of your success. But how often do you take the time to truly listen to what they have to say? Listening to your customers can provide valuable insights into what is working well in your business and what areas need a bit of help.
Let’s explore the benefits of actively seeking input from your customers and how you can use their feedback to help your craft business bloom!
Disclosure: some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Shhh….do you hear that?
Listening to your customers is essential for any business, but it is particularly important for a craft business.
Crafting is often a personal and emotional experience for both the creator AND the customer. So a business owner that actively listens to her customers is more likely to build strong relationships and develop a loyal customer base.
Your customers can provide valuable feedback on the quality, design, and overall experience of your products. By listening to their suggestions and concerns, you can identify areas for improvement. Then, you can make changes that will increase customer satisfaction!
Customers can also offer insights into trends and in-demand items, which can help you stay ahead of the competition and innovate your offerings. A nice bonus!
By actively listening to your customers, you can also build trust and credibility with them. When customers feel that their opinions are valued and heard, they are more likely to return to your business…and recommend it to others.
This can lead to positive word-of-mouth marketing, which is one of the most effective forms of advertising.
How to Get Your Customers to Talk to You
There are several ways you can request and receive feedback from your customers.
If you have an active email list (I hope you do!), then you can create a survey and send it out to your list. Free surveys can be created on several websites such as SurveyMonkey. The free version is usually a great place to start and will give you the tools you need to get valuable responses from your customers.
You can also ask questions on social media. Use your Instagram or Facebook posts and stories to ask your customers their opinion. This is the perfect way to see what colors, designs, and options your customers prefer.
Consider reaching out one-on-one. I know this is hard to do! I think many of us makers are introverts. But if you’re not, you can email or call (gasp) your customers and ask them their opinion. Have a list of questions ready to go, and you may develop strong relationships along the way!
Okay, the tribe has spoken – now what?
You’ve sent out your survey or emails, and now you have a bunch of answers. What do you do with it all?
You will need to sort through all the answers, and identify areas for improvement. Do this by looking for trends in the answers you received. You don’t need to change everything!
If only Sarah feels like your packaging is “too much”, then that’s more of a “Sarah problem”. But if Sarah, Rhonda, Ellen and Josephine all say the same thing…then I would put that on my list.
This can be a humbling process – please don’t take things too personally! You want your business to be better, and the people are telling you how.
This may involve making changes to your products, improving your customer service, or adjusting your marketing strategy.
By consistently identifying and addressing areas for improvement, you can ensure that your business is continually improving to meet the needs of your customers. Which is the ultimate goal, right?
Listening to your customers means ACTIVE listening
Actually Implementing changes based on customer feedback is essential for creating a successful craft business.
Here are some steps to consider when implementing changes based on customer feedback:
- Prioritize the feedback. Focus on the most critical issues. Start with the feedback that has the most significant impact on the customer experience, such as issues related to quality, customer service, or pricing
- Create an action plan. You know I’m a list-maker and planner! Create an action plan that outlines the steps you will take to address the issues. Remember to add these tasks to your calendar, set deadlines, and cross them off your list when you’re done!
- You can go slow and test your changes. Before implementing changes across your business, consider testing them on a small scale first. For example, you could test changes to a single product line to see how customers respond.
- Monitor the results. Did your sales improve? Is your percentage of repeat customers going up? If you’re not seeing results, you may need to review your changes and make additional ones.
Remember – this is a constantly changing business! It may take some trial and error to find the right solution. But by consistently listening to customer feedback and adjusting your approach, you can continually improve your craft business and provide the best possible customer experience.
How to respond to customer feedback
Part of building that trust factor is actually responding to feedback. Surveys can be anonymous, but if you get a personal email or even feedback on Etsy, you will want to respond.
And I get it, sometimes people are nasty. I suggest you take the high road, and answer all feedback in a positive and constructive way.
- Always start by thanking the customer for taking the time to provide feedback. Let them know that you appreciate their input and that it will help you improve your business.
- Carefully read the feedback and try to understand the customer’s perspective. Avoid becoming defensive or dismissive, even if the feedback is critical. (I know, hard to do!)
- Let the customer know that you have heard their feedback and that you take it seriously.
- Respond to customer feedback promptly. This shows that you value their input and are committed to addressing their concerns.
- If changes are being made based on customer feedback, be transparent about the steps you are taking and the timeline for implementation. This can help build trust with the customer and demonstrate your commitment to improving their experience.
- After implementing changes, consider following up with the customer to let them know that their feedback was taken into account and that changes were made. This can help build a positive relationship with the customer and demonstrate that their feedback is valued.
Listening to Your Customers: The Key to Improving Your Craft Business
The customer experience is one of the most important factors to the success (or failure) of any business. In today’s online world, it can be harder to get feedback from your customers.
But all businesses need to hear how their customers feel. If you work in a “bubble”, you may never see the shortcomings of your business before it’s too late.
I hope these tips on getting feedback and listening to your customers were helpful! If you’re just getting started with your online craft business, I have a free guide that will help! Download Online Selling Must-Haves for Makers and you will be ready to sell online in no time.
