11 simple techniques to keep your customers coming back
Gaining new customers for your business is always great, but it’s being able to keep them coming back for more that any smart business owner or manager will aim for. Frequent, return customers who are loyal to your brand are always better than customers who purchase once or twice and never think about your company again. So, what can you do to turn those one-time customers into loyal return shoppers? Let’s look at some simple techniques that many brands have been wildly successful with.
#1. Provide Great Content:
First and foremost, you’ll need to come up with content that keeps your customers interested in coming back for more. Even if you run an e-commerce store, providing regular, fresh new content for customers to explore on your site is sure to attract them back to find out the latest updates. For blogs, affiliate sites, and other types of online business – regular articles, lists, infographics and videos that provide value to the reader are an essential. It’s also a good idea to stick to a strict posting schedule to get your readers into the habit of coming back each week at the same time for more.
#2. Optimize Your Email Marketing:
Email marketing is often overlooked today, thanks to more popular and trending ways of marketing to your target market, such as social media marketing and influencer marketing. However, the power of email should never be overlooked when it comes to reminding customers about your brand and what you can offer them. For example, you could offer an opt-in service for customers buying from your brand for the first time that signs them up to emails from you about future deals and offers. Emails about exclusive deals to thank them for their custom are sure to grab their attention and get them thinking about coming back for another purchase.
If you know your email marketing needs some work, check out the “7 Best Email Marketing Services for Small Business” to help you choose a service that will work for you.
#3. On Site Retargeting:
Do you find that visitors come to your site but don’t always make a purchase? Although some visitors will just come to browse, and that’s OK, if your bounce rate is increasing, then it may be due to the fact that returning customers aren’t finding anything new and exciting. On Site retargeting software from providers like OptinMonster allows you to show returning customers different offers and promotions each time they visit your site, based on their previous interactions on your website. They provide help developing customized campaigns targeted at returning customers and can even take personalization to the next level with Cookie Retargeting. By showing them products that they’ve already taken an interest in and similar, you are likely to increase return sales.
#4. Loyalty Schemes:
Loyalty schemes are an age-old strategy that many brands have successfully used to keep their customers coming back for more. Chances are, you’ve probably used one – if you’ve ever collected ‘points’ on a grocery store membership card, accrued air-miles when using your credit card, or even collected stamps for a free drink at your local coffee shop, then you’ve been a member of a loyalty scheme. Promising your customers a discount or something for free after so many purchases is a great way to get them coming back over and over again to get their reward.
#5. Go the Extra Mile:
It’s no secret that customers will always prefer to return to shop with brands that they feel they have had an exceptional experience with. Treat your new customers well, and they’re sure to remember the experience when in need of similar products or services in the future, along with recommending your brand to others. Going the extra mile for customers is always worth the effort as often, the entire shopping experience is taken into consideration.
#6. Simplify Your User Interface:
If you’re getting a lot of customers who fail to return after making a one-time purchase, then you may want to consider re-vamping your website to make it easier to use. Look over your website – can customers easily find what they want? Is your payment page simple to use and secure? How cluttered is your website? Is product information readily available? Does your website support mobile devices? If the answer to any of these is no, then your customers may have declined to come back due to the fact that they found it easier to shop elsewhere. Remember that simplicity and convenience are key when shopping online!
#7. Develop an App:
Whilst this technique may not be as simple as some of the others, it’s definitely worth considering investing in developing an app for your customers to use if you are able to. A mobile application will be downloaded to your customers’ smartphone or tablet, serving as a reminder of your brand and encouraging them to return and shop with you again. You can also ask your customers to accept push notifications when downloading the app, allowing you to send them real-time reminders about deals, offers, promotions, updates, new products and more directly to their device.
#8. Link Up Your Social Media Profiles:
If you’re already asking your customers to follow your brand on social media when first making a purchase from you, then it’s important to ensure that everything you post on social media makes it easy for your followers to connect to your website and make a purchase if so desired. For example, new customers may purchase from you once and follow you on Facebook. If your Facebook advertisements aren’t clearly linked to your page, you may lose their repeat custom. Again, think serious convenience for your customers.
#9. Read Reviews:
Reading the customer reviews for your company can sometimes be a difficult thing to do, particularly if there are any reviews that don’t paint your brand in the most appealing light. However, reading these reviews and acting on them can be a great way of getting customers to come back and give you another chance. For example, if a customer uses a review service to complain about your brand, then you could respond with an apology and offer of money off their next purchase or a free gift if they give you a second chance. Not all customers may take you up on this, however, if you provide the ones that do with an exceptional experience, chances are they may forgive you for your mistakes the first time around.
#10. Stand Out:
Standing out from the crowd for all the right reasons will give your new, first-time customers more of a reason to come back and make a second, third and further purchases. For example, donating a portion of your profits to charity can be a great way to encourage customers to choose you again over other brands, since they know that some of their hard-earned money will be going towards a good cause. Choosing an activity that allows customers to help you do something for good is a sure way to encourage them to feel good about doing business with your brand.
#11. Listen:
Lastly, customers who feel that they are listened to and valued are more likely to be loyal to your brand than those who feel their concerns go unheard. Proactively ask your customers to provide you with feedback and keep them in the loop about any updates that you make accordingly. Social media polls, surveys, and reviews are just some of the best ways to get honest customer feedback that you can use to improve their experience.
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