As a business owner, your ultimate goal is to acquire new customers and maintain current ones and the only way to do that is by giving them a memorable user experience. The thing about customers is that they’re all very different and in order to understand them, you have to put yourself in their mindset.
You’re probably thinking, “how do you do that?” Well, the reality of giving customers’ a great user experience is that you have to understand how their minds work. You have to understand how they process information, how they perceive it, and how they retain that information… without having a clear understanding of those processes, all of your business efforts, in this regard, will be pointless.
If you’re looking to increase customer engagement and make your brand a household name consider implementing some of these tips to create memorable user experiences with your target audience.
Tip 1: Don’t expect your customers to remember everything
How many times have you tried to think of something you saw or heard “not too long ago” but couldn’t remember it? We’ve all experienced it, saying “it’s on the tip of my tongue!” Well, those instances can be thanks to this thing called short-term memory.
Everyone has a short-term memory, right? Of course, and with short-term memory, the brain can only hold a certain amount of information before it’s gone. So from a business perspective, a smart business move is to not overwork your user’s memory by forcing them to remember things like login IDs or making them have to dig through dozens of emails to find a promo code to get 30% off their purchase.
Just think about it… before a customer even makes a purchase, they’re going to ask themselves a few questions and one of those questions is going to be whether or not this purchase is even worth them digging through dozens of emails.
Instead of having users create a login ID, let their login be their email address and instead of them having to dig and search through dozens of emails for a promotion code, you should have the promo code in plain sight on your site or at least somewhere near the shopping cart. This allows users to instantly make the decision to make the purchase… searching for a promo code in their email gives room for them to get frustrated and change their mind on the purchase.
Tip 2: Use schemata to your advantage
By utilizing schemata, you’re helping customers remember. If you’re not too familiar with what schemata is, schemata is a process of taking information and putting them into categories and associating it with objects people are familiar with or easily recognize. In certain ways, people look at schemata as stereotypes in a sense but it’s not that at all.
For example, look at furniture. When you see a couch, loveseat, coffee table, and end tables, what’s the first thing that comes to your mind? A living room, right? Of course. With your site, consider labeling items appropriately so that users will remember exactly how to access those items every time they visit your site.
Tip 3: Make your website interesting and appealing
This might sound like an easy, no-brainer tip but it’s not all that common. You’d be surprised at how users remember websites based on how they looked. They might be trying to tell a friend about a site that has great boots and they may not be able to remember the name of the site off-hand but they can describe it to a tee! They’ll later remember it but they’ll remember it by describing it and something in the description will make them remember.
That reason alone is why it’s so important to choose a website builder with themes that fit your business. Of course, you need to have quality products and helpful content but as far as making your brand stick with users, you’re going to need to obtain them from physical attraction too.
Think of it like dating… if you’re not physically attracted to someone first, you’re not going to want to put in the effort to get to know that person on a deeper level… If a user visits your site and your site isn’t appealing or even in the slightest way looks sketchy, they’re not going to see what your site has to offer.
Tip 4: Tell your story by sharing emotional moments
One of the biggest ways to help people who visit your site have a memorable user experience is if you are relatable to them, and that’s why people love seeing or hearing stories. Maybe you endured a traumatic experience and that’s why you built your business.
Your story might be something you don’t fee exactly comfortable sharing with the world but it’s also the motivation behind your business, and if you share your story with others, it’s going to humanize your business and make people want to support your business. You never know who your story might help or inspire and by sharing your story, you’re not only creating memorable experiences for users but you’re also shedding a different light on your business and changing perceptions of your business. When businesses are able to change perceptions, that brand will forever be embedded in the minds of users simply because of how it made them feel.
Tip 5: Remember, a user not remembering your business isn’t such a bad thing… it’s just an opportunity for you to remind them
People tend to think that a user visiting a site and not coming back is a bad thing… in theory, okay, it can be bad because you want to obtain and retain customers but at the same time, if you don’t see customers returning, it’s just another opportunity for you to send them a friendly reminder that you haven’t seen or heard from them in a while.
You can even remind them of their past purchases and recommend new items that are similar to their previous purchase. By doing that, it makes them remember your site and it also makes them feel special… yes, a user can feel special, despite it being online shopping. According to due.com, by giving customers personal attention can make them feel like your business is there to meet their needs, making your business their go-to shopping destination.
How are you creating memorable user experiences for your customers?