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A few weeks ago I read a great write up from unbounce.com on how to best gain clients and keep them coming back for more. I’d like to summarize it here.
Retention Marketing, defined as ‘marketing to existing clients/customers and prospects, with the goal of retaining their business while stimulating the marketer’s sales,’ is a supplement to ‘acquisition marketing’ which is the act of gaining new customers. The basic theory behind retention marketing is that if you treat your customer right after they purchase, they’ll become loyal and purchase more. Eventually, a loyal customer can become an evangelical customer, spreading your business to their friends and families.
Retention marketing can be broken down into four steps:
Follow up - It’s important that you don’t the interaction between your company and the customer to simply a transaction. This is the perfect time to make a ‘connection’ with the client. You can do this by offering the option to enroll the customer in your newsletter, or by sending them a personalized follow up email thanking them for their trust and purchase. This personal touch can begin a closer relationship which can be nurtured to form loyalty and repeat buyers.
Commitment – Just like in a typical marketing campaign, it’s important to be consistent in your message and follow through with what you offer. Don’t allow your customers expectations to exceed what you’re willing to offer. If you offer 24 hour customer service, you make sure there’s something to answer the phone/email 24 hours a day. If you offer refunds, support or any other ‘perk’, make sure you’re consistent and follow-through. This will make your customers into happy customer and increase their loyalty. No one likes signing up for something and not getting what they expected.
Thanking for Loyalty – Every once in a while, it actually pays off to give stuff away for free. Think of a customer-company relationship as a two-way road. While you’r providing a (great) service to customers, they’re paying you money. It’s not simply a paying account, it’s a relationship you’ve formed. It’s a good idea to reward the loyalty a customer gives you by offering something to them for free. Whether thats a free ebook, seminar, or a discount code on their next purchase, any sort of gift you provide can do wonders to your customer loyalty. Reward them for their loyalty, and they’ll continue being loyal!
Communicate – Keeping in mind that your dealings with customers should be based on relationships, make sure to stay in contact with all of your customers. Do not be afraid to ask for referrals or recommendations to your most loyal customers. Chances are, if you’ve done the above steps properly, your customer are loyal to you because they respect and like you. By simply asking them to bring you more business, you may be opening a large avenue of new customers who are coming to you, rather than you going after them.
While here’s a lot more to retention marketing then what I’ve listed here, these are good steps to begin employing with your customers. Run a good business, have great customer service, and respect your clients, and you just might see your business grow with ease.
