If you want actionable insights that deliver results for your brand, then you need to be asking your customers the right questions and collecting the right data. By asking the right questions, you will be able to zero in on their goals, issues and needs. The data gathered from these questions will help to build a better digital experience.

Here are 4 simple, but best practices for gathering and tracking insights that drive conversions and increase retention rates:

1. Build customer personas and segment your audience

Segmentation of the target market is crucial. It enables you to focus your marketing efforts on individual customer groups in order to better meet their specific needs.

Including a question box on your homepage, that allows website visitors to self-identify, enables you to direct them to relevant content instantly. Once your audience has been segmented you can begin building personas by asking questions like: “What do you value most, Where do you go for information? What are your greatest challenges? What city do you live in? What industry is your business in? What is your job title? What publications, blogs or social media networks do you pay attention to? How did you find out about our company?

2. Document the information

Using onsite surveys and conversation marketing tools, it is imperative that you document the conversations you are having with your audience. This way you will get a pretty comprehensive view of the ‘voice of the customer’. 

There are of course other quicker ways to engage with customers and that would be through interviews and one-on-one meetings. Founder and CEO of Stratabeat, Tom Shapiro says, “you’ll get more information in one lunch [with a customer] than studying a month’s worth of Google Analytics.”

3. Analyse the right data

Implementing behavioural analytics, and gaining an understanding of what your customer is doing on your website is extremely helpful in understanding the visitor experience. Similarly separating and analysing data for first-time visitors against returning visitor data

4. Communicate internally

Maintaining an internal dialogue between departments within your brand – specifically your customer support team and your marketing team – is paramount to exchanging vital information and keeping aligned with your customer’s needs. Your customer support team has the best insight into the voice of the customer and should be conveying important information back to the marketing team.

If you want your brand to become more customer-centric then you need to start viewing data collection as a gold mining opportunity. Using collected data about your customers effectively, can not only attract more customers, but more importantly, help increase your customer retention rates by building digital experiences tailored for the customer. 

Or better yet! Enlist the help of Image Matters, who know exactly how to turn customer data into customer loyalty.