Blog, Business Strategy

3 Key Customer Engagement Strategies That Will Make or Break Your Business

The future of online business isn’t just about delivering content—it’s about creating real connections. As we head into 2025, one thing is clear: People are craving personalized, human experience so generic, AI-generated content is not a viable. customer engagement strategies. If you want to stand out, it’s time to prioritize meaningful relationships at scale with your audience.

Why Engagement Matters More Than Ever

Consumers are more discerning than ever. They seek brands that treat them as individuals rather than numbers. By creating personalized experiences, businesses not only build loyalty but also increase customer lifetime value. Companies that fail to invest in customer engagement strategies will lose market share to competitors who prioritize it.

The Shift Toward Connection-Driven Customer Engagement Strategies

2025 marks a shift from transactional delivery to relationship-building at scale. Companies are moving away from purely sales-driven strategies and investing in nurturing their existing customers and communities. This means providing value, fostering interaction, and creating platforms where customers feel taken care of and seen.

How many times have you purchased something thinking that it was going to be a personalized experience only to be ‘ignored’ or worse walk into a chaotic and inconsistent delivery experience? I know that I have. One of the best gifts you can give to your customers is that clarity and confidence that they are in the right place.

And it not only possible to put in play some simple customer engagement strategies – but in 2025 it is going to be a basic requirement for all online businesses. The good news is that with a few key strategies, you will be on your way to creating customers for life.

3 Key Customer Engagement Strategies to Implement in 2025

1. Personalized Marketing & Delivery at Scale

Automation platforms like ActiveCampaign allow businesses to send personalized emails, recommend products based on user behavior, and build automated sequences that feel tailored to where the customer is in their buying or learning journey.

Customers expect brands to know their preferences and offer relevant content when they need it.

Case Study: The Personal Touch of CraftingCo

CraftingCo used personalized marketing to drive a 40% increase in repeat sales. By tracking user preferences and sending curated craft kits, they cultivated a loyal customer base that consistently engaged with their brand.

Why It Worked:

The ability to make each customer feel unique created stronger emotional ties, reducing churn and increasing customer referrals.

7 Action Steps to Implement Personalized Communications:

Segment your email list based on user activity.
Use tools like ActiveCampaign to build dynamic email content.
Automate follow-ups based on abandoned carts or incomplete purchases. As well as personalized emails when they reach certain milestones within your program or signature offer. This doesn’t mean just sending generic emails to your customers. The messages you send can and should be targeted based on specific actions your customer’s have (or have not) taken. This is where the power of automation truly happens!
Leverage personalized video messages for high-ticket clients. We love Bonjoro for personalized messages at scale.
Offer exclusive promotions and/or bonus content based on customer milestones.
Use SMS reminders for product launches.
Track and analyze engagement to refine future personalized follow-ups.

For example, we send a personalized thank you and welcome to our world video for each new customer. This is a nice surprise for them and helps set the tone for a personalized relationship throughout their journey.

From an operational perspective, this takes about 5 minutes to do and Bonjoro makes it easy to send out a personalized message at scale – without having to re-record each time or worry about how/when to send the email message. This activity is triggered automagically from the point of sale.

When you stack these small actions at the right times throughout the customer journey – it makes a HUGE difference in their experience AND sets your business up to thrive – without it taking up all of your time.

Consider if you have 1000 new customers that start in one day – would you be able to personalize the experience for all of them? With this approach you can all without working more hours.

2. Building Interactive Communities

Another approach that helps to build engagement is to foster a dynamic group or community. Tools like BuddyBoss, Skool or Kajabi Communities help brands create thriving online communities. These platforms encourage peer-to-peer interaction and brand engagement, fostering stronger bonds between businesses and their audiences.

Case Study: FitLife’s Online Community
FitLife created a private member community using BuddyBoss, leading to a 60% increase in membership retention. By offering exclusive workouts, Q&A sessions, and peer support, members felt more connected and stayed engaged longer.

7 Action Steps to Build a Community-Driven Brand:

Set up a community platform using BuddyBoss or Kajabi (depending on your tech stack).
Host regular live events or Q&A sessions.
Create exclusive content for community members.
Encourage member-generated content and discussions.
Implement gamification strategies to boost participation.
Build referral programs that reward community members.
Foster collaboration through group projects or challenges.

3. Authentic Storytelling

Story-driven brands create deeper emotional connections with their audiences. By sharing real-life experiences, case studies, and personal stories, businesses can humanize their brands and give their prospective customers a realistic view into the solution(s) that they have available for them.

7 Action Steps to Master Storytelling:

Develop a brand story that reflects your mission.
Share behind-the-scenes content.
Highlight customer success stories.
Use video to communicate your journey.
Incorporate storytelling in product launches.
Create podcast episodes that tell customer stories.
Encourage employees to share their experiences.

2025 is shaping up to be the year of using customer engagement strategies like personalized communications and real human connections. Because businesses that lean into relationship-building and create communities as a means to connect with customers will thrive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

The key is to design a system with these things in mind – it is possible to use technology to maximize the human connection AND your time. You no longer have to think that the only way to build a relationship with your prospects and customers has to be in person or ad-hoc.

Make the shift now by implementing personalized but automated communications, community platforms, and authentic storytelling to secure your online business growth in 2025 and beyond.

Need help creating or deciding on your engagement strategy? Schedule a free discovery call with Tara here.

Our mission is to inspire, educate and give business owners the strategies and skills to build an infinitely scalable online business that will allow them to make a bigger impact and income without sacrificing the customer’s experience or adding more time to their already full lives.