Anecdote

5 brilliant tips for taking back power from the customer

Why digital behaviour has changed everything and how to respond.

Anyone who remembers the 1980s will remember how different buying experiences used to be. Large companies set the rules. Customers simply had to wait. If you needed a phone line installed, you paid, then waited weeks for an engineer to arrive. Everything happened on the company’s terms.

Today that would never happen. The power has shifted. Customers now decide who wins their trust and their money. The internet has changed the balance forever.

The rise of the empowered customer

Information now belongs to the buyer. They research, compare and investigate long before they contact you. Think about booking a holiday. You no longer sit with a travel agent and choose from a brochure. You spend hours online comparing hotels, reading reviews, checking prices and exploring every option.

Choice and knowledge have made customers more selective than at any other time in history. Which means earning their business has become much harder.

So how does a business respond? The only way is to use the digital environment as your battleground. Not by simply having a website, but by using the internet to educate, reassure and support customers through every stage of their decision making.

Here are five practical ways to take back control and attract the right customers.

Educate your customer

Education builds trust. It reduces fear. It removes uncertainty. Most importantly, it positions your business as a guide rather than a seller.

Creating educational content is not about pushing products. It is about helping people understand your industry and your value. This works in every sector, from engineering to retail to service businesses.

How to do it

Start by listing every question customers ask about your products and services.
Look at your revenue and focus on the questions linked to the offers that generate most income.
Create blog posts or simple videos that answer each question clearly and honestly.

Video is the most effective format because it shows your personality and builds familiarity, but written content is a great place to start if you are building confidence.

Provide certainty

People buy with confidence when they understand the process. Amazon Prime works because you know exactly when your order will arrive. That level of certainty creates loyalty.

How to do it

When prospects understand how easy it is to deal with you, you gain back control.

Map out the journey a customer takes from first contact through to purchase.
Make it shorter. Make it easier. Remove anything that causes friction.
Publish your customer journey online so prospects can see exactly how the process works.

Treat prospects like friends

People are tired of faceless companies. They want real connection. They want to understand the character and values behind a business.

If you want to attract the right customers, you need to show who you really are. Not everyone will respond to your style and that is fine. You only want the customers who align with your values.

How to do it

Create a simple video that introduces the who, what and why of your organisation.
Keep it natural and honest. No scripts. No corporate tone.
This video becomes a filter. The right people will feel closer to you immediately. The wrong people will filter themselves out.

You do not need a big production. A basic setup for under £500 is enough to get started.

Create an irresistible offer

Competition is fierce. If you want new business, you need an offer that removes risk and encourages people to try you.

An irresistible offer is not a discount. It is something that feels too good to ignore while still protecting your margins.

How to do it

Review your competitors. What are they offering?
Look outside your sector for inspiration.
Brainstorm ideas with your team.
Choose five options and turn them into a social poll. Ask prospects to vote for the offer that would make them buy.

This creates two wins. You learn what people actually want and you identify warm leads who openly expressed interest.

Surprise and delight

Loyalty comes from how people feel when they interact with you. Small gestures create disproportionate impact when they feel genuine and personal.

How to do it

Set a clear budget for customer delight.
Choose simple gestures that feel human, not transactional.
Birthdays, handwritten notes, small gifts or unexpected check-ins all work well.

The goal is to make customers feel valued long after the sale. Once this becomes a system, it builds long term trust and reduces the likelihood of customers looking elsewhere.