There are different ways to communicate and also different means to establish this communication.
When we think of customers, this is even more evident, since your audience can search for you in many communication channels.
For this reason, it is important to know how to identify the best way to convey your message to each person and on each channel.
But first let’s understand what elements are involved in the communication process
Comunication elements
The so-called elements of communication are the factors that are part of the communication process, that is, in the sending and receiving of messages. Each of these elements contributes to the process by helping to improve or worsen communication.
1. Issuer
The sender is the element that initiates the communication process, since it is this who emits the message. For communication to be effective, it is necessary for the sender and receiver to share communication channels and codes.
The issuer can not only be a person, but can also be an organization, a technological system or device.
2. Receiver
The receiver is the one who receives the message from the sender and interprets it. Their participation in the communication process may or may not be voluntary. If the sender can correctly decipher the sender’s message, the communication process will be successful.
3. Code
The code is the language used for effective communication, that is, the set of signs and symbols through which the message is transmitted. These can be linguistic, such as oral or written sources, as well as non-linguistic, such as traffic signs.
4. Message
The message is defined as the content that the sender intends to transmit to the receiver. The message is made up of a series of combinations of signs and symbols that are emitted in a certain code by the sender and that the receiver must decipher correctly.
However, this decoding depends to a large extent on the other elements of the communication, since it could be the case that depending on the differences between codes and channels, the meaning and interpretation change.
5. Communication channels
Finally, the communication channels are the physical means by which the message is transmitted from the sender to the receiver. Among the many channels through which messages can be communicated, we have voice, radio, braille, television, email, cell phone, social networks, among others.
What are communication channels?
Communication channels are tools used by companies to establish a relationship with their public and communicate with them.
Channels enhance the experience between the customer and the brand, strengthening relationship marketing and providing recognition to the company and impact on sales.
Through them you can:
- Introduce your customers to a new product or service;
- Keep people informed about everything related to your area of action;
- Respond to your questions and comments;
- Share materials that can bring your audience closer to your brand.
Therefore, when choosing the channel you will use, it has to be one that provides information, that helps your audience by adding value and offering solutions.
Know what are the pain points, the doubts, the desires and objectives of your consumer. In this way you will be able to create useful content to establish a relationship with him.
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What are communication channels for?
Communication channels help build and embed your brand with your audience, boosting sales and helping you understand their behavior.
They work as a bridge between you and your audience.
For this reason, knowing how to work in each channel is as fundamental as choosing your buyer persona, since your strategy will be built on that.
There is no specific channel that will bring you a bigger and better result. It all depends on your business and the profile of your customers.
But since there are several communication channels, it is recommended that you be in more than one.
In this way, the public will have more than one option for customer service and you will have more opportunities to strengthen your relationship with them.
Ideally, you opt for a form of communication that is related to the company’s culture and that manages to dialogue easily and appropriately in each channel.
You must be wondering what the most used channels are, right? So let’s get started.
10 most used customer communication channels
1. Social Media
They are widely used as a strategy to strengthen the relationship with the client, as they allow you to interact directly with the public, in addition to increasing their involvement with the brand.
In it you can respond to comments and offer relevant content in various formats, such as photos, videos and texts.
It is worth remembering that each public in each network has a different behavior. Therefore, it is necessary to create content related to each medium.
To learn more about the subject, read our post on.
2. Blog
This is the most widely used means of providing educational information on various topics.
With them it is possible to build a cycle of publications and create new ways of approaching your audience.
The idea of the blog is to expose your knowledge showing not only the topic in which you have recognized authority, but also covering general topics of interest to your audience.
When you offer educational content, you create a relationship with your audience, since you answer their questions about different topics related to the market.
This also helps transform you into an authority in your market.
It is important to keep the blog always updated. In this way, you create a dynamic, since your audience knows that you will always publish texts. This increases your visibility, retains your visitors and wins the trust of your client.
In addition, there are several other strategies behind a blog, from the insertion of a banner with sponsored links, to the inclusion of a space for questions and suggestions related to your business.
All of these opportunities are worth exploring.
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3. Email marketing
It is a communication channel that allows you to deliver the message in a personalized way for a base of leads and customers.
This channel is widely used due to its low cost, and because it speaks directly to an audience that has already shown interest in your business.
You can use it both to talk about your brand, to send a promotion, to give notices or to offer rich content for your client.
Today, there are various email triggering tools that automate the entire process, from creation to measurement of the result. One of them is him, don’t stop knowing her.
4. Instant messaging applications
Instant messaging applications or apps provide an interactive experience similar to that provided by a chat, their main advantage is that the client can communicate directly and in real time with the company in an easy and fast way.
What greatly improves customer service and the resolution of problems or inconveniences that may exist, in fact many companies already have this type of application among their resources because they are very effective when it comes to helping customers.
Some examples of these applications are WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber, Signal and Facebook Messenger.
5. Discussion forums
Widely used by students of online courses, it is a digital channel focused on collective interaction.
In it, all users manage to communicate and exchange experiences, both good and bad.
It is exactly for this reason that it is interesting to be present in these communication channels, especially if there is a forum about your business.
Having knowledge of this, you can mediate discussions on a certain topic, you can clarify doubts to enhance the understanding of the content, or even understand the problems of a dissatisfied customer.
6. External communication channels
As not everything is flowers, it is very common to have dissatisfied customers who complain about your product or service in communication channels that you do not necessarily control.
Complaint services or customer service websites are used to show that dissatisfaction and it is important that you not only know everything that is being placed on them, but also that you respond to complaints.
Thus, you manage to understand your client and you can even take measures to change the perception that he has of your business.
7. Push notifications
Push notifications are characterized by being short messages which need the user’s permission to be received. Generally, they are used when it is necessary to send notifications through an application to a smartphone.
Being short messages, the probability that the receiver will view and read the message is quite high, however, on many occasions, customers decide to dismiss the importance of these notices and interact with them after several minutes or hours have passed.
8. Videos
This disclosure format, which has grown significantly in recent times, is currently among the consumer favorites for the public.
Today, they are not used only for entertainment or promotion of products and services. They are also produced and designed for didactic and educational purposes.
This type of content, in addition to being fast and attractive, facilitates the understanding of the message.
Just as the communication channels featured are important, so is creating a content marketing strategy for your video.
Your audience needs to have a true experience that is interesting to take them to the main objective of the video, whether it is selling or informing something.
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9. Telephone contact
Many people believe that telephone contact is an outdated channel to connect companies and customers, since digital transformation has promoted new channels that are equal to, or even more effective than, phone calls.
However, this is a traditional channel that has not lost its importance. In fact, many innovative applications such as WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram have integrated it into their platforms, which speaks highly of this channel.
And it is that telephone calls have some advantages that cannot be easily overcome by other channels, among them are the transmission of information in a clear, fast and detailed way, personal and humanized contact and knowledge of the response and quick reaction and honest customer.
10. Technical support
This sector, which is often the user’s gateway, goes beyond customer service to clarify their doubts and solve their problems.
One transforms the customer’s need into a solution, and can turn him into a brand advocate.
In addition to anticipating possible difficulties, customer service can identify…
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