As a business owner, one of the best things you can gain is a repeat customer. These types of customers often draw in others through word-of-mouth marketing. However, very few businesses have a plan in place to make this a trend. So, how do you turn a first time customer into a repeat customer? Read on for our favorite tips to turn your customers into loyal fans:
1. Make it a personal experience.
A personal touch while shopping will makes it a memorable experience. Remember their name and favorite products. Utilize social media, not just for self-promotional reasons, but for personal ways to communicate with your customers. Also, don’t forget email marketing. Have your customers sign up for your email newsletter, and make sure they include things like their name, birthday, and even personal product preferences. That way, you can easily tailor email marketing communication to them individually.
2. Make shopping fast and easy.
If you are struggling to maintain existing customers, take a look at your website. The shopping experience must be fast and easy. On the technical side, ensure your website is easily viewable from all types of devices and that your homepage is not too cluttered. Check out your site speed and avoid any excessive pop-ups that get in the way of the shopping experience.
3. Encourage your customers to opt-in to your email list.
Emailing your customers is still a fantastic way to build a relationship with them. You can use pop-ups to encourage your customers to give you their email address, but make it worth their while. Consider offering a discount if they sign up for your email newsletter. Also, use email marketing to notify customers of discounted products they purchased previously and any newly released products.
4. Go beyond selling a product.
Although it’s tempting to promote yourself constantly, you can easily overdo the communication. One way to add value is to share useful information with your customers. For example, if you sell ergonomically correct office equipment, you can share stretching exercises people can do at their desks or inexpensive ways people can decorate their home office. Content like this will be read by your existing customers and potentially found on search engines to draw in new customers.
5. Make sure your customer service is excellent.
It doesn’t matter what your marketing methods are, and it doesn’t matter how quality your product is, a bad customer service experience can turn any repeat shopper away. Go above and beyond to make sure you meet your customer’s needs. Make sure your existing customers are just as valuable to you as your new ones. Consider adding a loyalty program or an exclusive coupon for repeat shoppers.
It takes a patient and dedicated business owner to turn a one-time shopper into a repeat customer. However, with these tactics and offering quality products and services, you will build a relationship with your customer-base that will have a positive impact on your business.
