91% of people say they are more likely to do business with companies that appreciate their customers, yet only 62% say most businesses they’ve dealt with have done a good job of showing their gratitude. 

Not to sound like Captain Obvious, yet we all know customers have many options when it comes to choosing who they want to do business with and an unsatisfied client has no reason to stick around. Whether you’ve had several years of loyal customers, or are just forming a new client relationship, the need for a positive customer experience and appreciation strategy is just as important. A great way to build trust and show appreciation to your customers is through sharing content from relevant resources which address their current challenges and needs  – outside of marketing your own business’s capabilities. 

Sharing valuable information with your customers can take many forms. Here are 5 ways you can offer some knowledge to your audience and focus on helping their business grow, not just yours.

Post Quick How-To Guides

Provide your customers with a step-by-step guide to accomplishing something relevant to your industry. How-to content is a great way to provide your clients with free tutorials, avoiding self-promotion but coming from a reliable resource they can trust.

As a manufacturer, you might share “How-To” content related to buying decisions, such as a comparison guide with tips for deciding on the right product or service which aligns with your audience's needs.

Write Blogs, and Share Them On Social Media

Blogs can help keep your customers up to date on current industry happenings or dive into specific tactics and strategies they can implement to leverage their key assets. Write about value-adds your customers can take advantage of that don’t include your own business’s products or services. Upcoming manufacturing events, like trade shows and exhibitions that your audience would benefit from, make for great blog posts. Share all the “who, what, when, where, and why” details, and encourage them to attend!

Arrange In-Person Networking Events

There’s nothing quite as valuable as face-to-face networking and knowledge sharing. Hosting in-person, free events allows you to spend quality time with your clients and show how greatly you value providing them with growth opportunities. Invite your customers to tour your facility, attend a manufacturing event, or get together to discuss something topical within the industry.

Conduct Research, and Share Your Findings

Keep your customers in the loop. Conducting original research and sharing it with your audience (in an email, newsletter, blog, or other form of communication) allows your audience to identify areas for improvement within their own businesses. For instance, as a B2B manufacturer, you may conduct research on which contact method receives the most engagement for B2B companies. Sharing this with your customers will allow them to apply this to their own customer communications to grow their client relationships. 

Host Monthly Webinars

Ditch the sales pitch, and focus on helping attendees grow. Free webinars often have a much greater turn out than in-person events simply because of the convenience factor. With webinars being remote, all of your clients, near and far, can participate. These virtual events can also be recorded and shared in an email to anyone who wasn’t able to catch it live. Industry pain points, trends, and expert insights are great webinar topics for manufacturers.