To turn a one-off customer into a lifelong customer in brick-and-mortar stores you need to pull out all the stops to make a person feel welcomed and at home. People are creatures of habit. If they find a store that they enjoyed being in, chances are they will return when they are in need of your particular service or product again.
Online, it is entirely different. You don’t just have the sellers on your street to worry about, you have the biggest giants and countless newcomers to deal with. Building longstanding, digital relationships is very different, but done right can actually prove more fruitful than traditional customer retention methods.
Customers always go through the same journey. This journey may not occur in the same places, and the timeframe will vary dramatically from one customer to another, but the overall structure remains the same.
First, they have a need. They may not recognize they have this need right away, but you or some other company will make them aware of it. They may see inspiration on social media that informs them naturally over time, or they may actively go out looking for more information.
After they understand what they are looking for, they’ll want to find the best option. This could be the impulse buy that captures their heart, or the informed purchase done online after reading buying guides for the better part of the afternoon.
Introduction, inspiration, information, comparison and purchase – sometimes customers go through more steps, sometimes they go through less. You need to have content ready for them at every single step. Follow these tips from Web Presence to make the most out of this content, so you can appeal to your customers best.
Your newsletter and social channels are two very powerful tools you can use to stay in touch. Try to create content that will appeal both to new customers and loyal ones alike on these channels for the greatest success. New customers should be introduced to your products and service, and they should also have a glimpse at the ongoing value you can offer them online.
A great way to keep customers in touch with you and encourage them to buy and buy again is to offer them rewards for their loyalty. Some examples of how you can reward their loyalty include:
For every $1 spent on your site, offer them points. $1 spent could give them 10 points, and 10 points can equate to 10¢ off, for example. It’s a very simple reward that encourages people to buy more and gives them a pat on the back every time they do it with you. You will need them to have their own loyalty card, even if it’s just a digital one, to facilitate this.
If they set their birthday on your site, offer them a birthday discount! Alternatively you can offer them an anniversary discount if they have been signed up to your newsletter for over a year, and so on. These sort of rewards feel personal, and are a great way to make people feel good about themselves and your relationship while simultaneously encouraging more sales.
Is it your company’s birthday? Offer a sale! Launching a new product? Offer loyal or existing customers exclusive chances to pre-order or have access to last season’s sale first. These small rewards make customers feel like they are valued, and entice new customers to sign up and become part of your family.