Sales professionals know all about the customer journey. They know there are multiple touchpoints along the way, from the initial conversation to purchase and post-purchase support. Sales reps know that providing a good customer experience at each touchpoint is critical to building and maintaining a solid relationship.

However, Michael Fertick, founder and chairman of Reputation.com, says sales professionals often overlook customer engagement, even though it's vital to helping customers move along in their journey. In this issue of Promotional Consultant Today, we share Fertick's thoughts on how to create more meaningful customer engagement.

Analyze the customer journey. Consider your customers' journey and take note of any sticking points or frustrating interactions. Are your emails helpful and informative or intrusive and self-serving? Are your locations easy to get to and welcoming? Is your staff friendly and professional? Do you follow up after customer interactions and respond to reviews? Every one of these customer touchpoints presents an opportunity for engaging with your customers in a mutually beneficial way, says Fertick. Make sure you're doing that, and if you're not, it's time to start.

Listen to what customers say about you. Today's customers are vocal, notes Fertick. It's easy to find feedback on Google, Facebook and other review sites. You should also invest in social media management, so you can actively monitor social commentary and reviews as they come in, he adds. Nearly half (42 percent) of customers expect a response within 60 minutes, and a delayed response is almost as bad as no response.

Deliver seamless omnichannel experiences. If you analyze the customer journey properly, Fertick says you will find that brand interactions occur across many channels—search results, emails, websites, physical locations and even text. Make sure to deliver a consistent and pleasant experience every time you engage with your customer, regardless of channel. One bad or confusing interaction can ruin the opportunity to engage effectively, and could even begin to break down the trust and loyalty you've invested in building.

Pay attention to all factors that comprise your Reputation Score. Fertick says that brands are increasingly turning to Reputation Score as the most accurate measurement of customer experience. It's more thorough than NPS, because it takes into account all the factors affecting your reputation. A critical component of the score is engagement, as measured by your brand's performance across every customer touchpoint. According to Fertick, knowing and monitoring your Reputation Score is an essential step to mastering the art—and reaping the benefits—of customer engagement.

Remember that customer engagement is about inspiring your customers to interact with your brand and willingly take part in the experiences you're creating for them. If you do it right, you can grow your brand, build customer loyalty and drive profits.

Source: Michael Fertick is the founder and chairman of Reputation.com. Named a LinkedIn Influencer, Fertick is a member of the World Economic Forum Agenda Council on the Future of the Internet and a recipient of the World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer Award. Through his leadership, the Forum named Reputation.com a Global Growth Company.