Congratulations! You now have a group of avid supporters of your brand, but how do you make sure that it stays that way? Customers can be fickle. They buy your products and services now, but it doesn’t mean that there already is loyalty. You have to make an extra effort to make your customers stay. Here are some tips:
Offer incentives
Use people’s “what’s in it for me” instinct to your advantage by offering a loyalty program. Implementing a rewards system is a great way to establish long-lasting relationships with clients. Consider looking into a customer loyalty platform to help you set it up.
Try offering a stamp card, which will allow customers to claim a freebie after their eighth purchase. You can also try a rewards program approach aimed at new customers. For example, when they buy from you for the first time, you can give them a discount code that can be used for the next purchase. These are wonderful ways to invite people to shop from you again.
Make it personal
Studies show that personalized emails yield a transaction rate that is six times higher than impersonal ones. One way to do this is to address them by name instead of using the standard phrase “Dear Valued Client,” which is usually accompanied by a templated response. This makes it feel like they are talking to a machine instead of a fellow human.
You might also want to consider sending them an electronic birthday card. After all, everyone wants to feel special on their birthday. Here is another idea: why not send them a promo code or discount coupon on the anniversary of their becoming your customer? You can call it their “custoversary.”
Provide amazing customer service
For starters, place a phone number, a link to your official social media page, or an email address in a highly visible area on your app or website. This will make it easier for customers to reach you if they need some help.
Keep in mind that the products or services you offer are only as good as your customer service. An effectively resolved issue or complaint has the power to turn a dissatisfied customer into a regular customer. Aside from this, rave reviews and consistent excellent support responses will entice new customers to check out your brand. Giving a prompt response and action to concerns will also make them love you.
To make this happen, you need to train your customer service representatives well. Constantly remind them about the importance of listening or reading a customer’s entire message. That way, your representatives can address all of your customers’ concerns and avoid misunderstanding what they are looking for. It would be useful to remember that selective reading or listening may lead to sending out a wrong response or taking inappropriate action, which may have serious implications.
Be reliable because it matters
Being true to your word is an excellent way to build a customer’s trust. If you say that you will give them an update regarding their concern within three to five business days, be sure to stick to that promise. After all, no one likes to be kept waiting, especially if it is an urgent matter.
The same is true with deliveries. If you promise that their order will arrive within two days after a successful payment verification, implement measures to ensure that the product will be delivered within the specified time frame. Another way to ease the worry of a buyer, especially if it is their first time to transact with you, is to provide a way for them to efficiently track the status of their order. Getting daily updates about the status of one’s order can be extremely comforting.
If an unforeseen event interferes with the timeliness of the delivery, inform them that there will be a delay. Transparency and communication are important when it comes to handling this kind of situation.
Now that you have picked up some ideas on how to retain customers, it is time to put your learning to the test. Once you begin implementing these tips, please remember that changes do not happen overnight. You may not see an improvement at first, but if you continuously work on it, your hard work will eventually pay off.
