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Customer retention is an important part of growing your business. It is simply a metric to show just how much value you provide your customers. When people appreciate your business, they are more likely to engage in the long term. This also leads to repeat sales, referrals, and opportunities for building a brand advocacy platform.
Customer needs should be on the top of your list of priorities, so how do you keep customers wanting more from your business? We’ve outlined a few tips that can help you build a loyal and solid following.
1. Get to know them
If you want your business to thrive, you need to be ready to build valuable long-term relationships. People are more responsive to brands that care for their needs. They are also very likely to develop loyalty if a business has a genuine desire to learn more about them.
Try to examine their social media and browsing habits. You can also conduct market research, send out surveys, and publish social media polls so you get a good feel of what your customers want.
Another way to learn more about your customers is by engaging directly. You might be tempted to use canned questions about their favorite products or services, but it’s always better to send out genuine messages.
Regardless of the approaches you are using, making the effort to learn more about your customers individually will help you create successful loyalty programs and events later on.
2. Provide responsive customer service
For a business with poor customer service, a complaint filed at the Better Business Bureau is the least of the consequences. Bad customer service ruptures your bond with your customers. If you can’t help them solve an issue whether or not you caused it, you will risk losing a potentially loyal patron.
Your relationship with customers doesn’t end with a successful sale. Beyond it lies the opportunity to increase brand awareness and encourage repeat transactions. Improving customer experience starts with delivering excellent customer service. Start by asking them for feedback every time they purchase a product or sign up for a service. That way, you can identify and solve an issue quickly so customers won’t have to wait long.
You should also set up a customer service system that covers all accessible channels. Apart from a hotline, you can also have your customers send their concerns through email or social media. You can also include a customer query form on your website.
You should also use an empathetic tone even if you are dealing with an irate customer. Positive scripting should do the trick when it comes to writing customer service scripts that are meant to prevent an escalation.
3. Keep them informed
In any relationship, constant communication is always a crucial element. The lack of it could lead to a breakdown of trust and engagement. Businesses are no exception to this principle. For customers to keep you in mind, you need to engage them in every opportunity that comes along.
Greeting them on their birthdays and on special holidays is standard practice, but it’s not the only strategy that will help with improving customer retention. Keep them engaged by sending them newsletters and online brochures.
You can also invite them to special events or have them sign up for loyalty programs or continuity gifts. If your business is promoting new offers, let your existing customers learn about it first before everyone else. By keeping in constant communication with customers, you are giving them a compelling reason to stay in the cycle.
4. Use automation for personalized responses
If your business has a web platform that handles high volumes of traffic, providing personalized customer service can be challenging. You will need to create and send out messages that cater to the needs of each user. This situation will force you to send a large number of messages at the expense of quality.
How do you make sure everyone is cared for without watering down the quality of your customer service efforts? The best way you can do this is through automation. If you are nurturing existing customers, automated email marketing platforms like Omnisend and Mailchimp can help you divide your audience into segments and send out targeted emails to each one.
If you are organizing a virtual event like a webinar or a masterclass course, you can send out personalized Google Calendar text reminders or invitation links through social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter.
When it comes to responding rapidly to minor problems or issues, you can use a chatbot to walk customers through step-by-step instructions that are easy to understand. Just make sure to provide customers the option of talking to a live agent. You will need to be ready in case a problem requires technical knowledge.
5. Create engaging loyalty programs
Perhaps the best way to retain customers is through a loyalty program. If you have customers who keep buying from you, they definitely deserve something in return.
You need to be creative when planning a loyalty program that rewards customers for every milestone they reach. For instance, if they were able to reach $1,000 in total purchases within a single year, you can offer them discount vouchers to partner stores.
Events can help you develop deeper relationships since they provide added value to your customers. Opt for webinars or live tutorials that show people how to make the most of the products you are selling. If your business sells art materials, you can offer free online workshops featuring professional artists.
Free content is also a great way to keep people engaged. Whether you are dealing with consumers or B2B clients, you can offer free e-books or videos. You can also introduce your loyalty program during checkout. If your business is service-oriented, give them the option of a premium package. The term of service could be longer but it provides more benefits compared to a standard package.
In addition to these strategies, you can also create a program that rewards your customers for every referral they bring in.
6. Start a YouTube or podcast series
You can get plenty of benefits if you start your own online series. A podcast series is a great start. You can talk about your latest offers or invite a guest to discuss the latest news related to your industry.
Setting up your own YouTube channel can also do wonders for your brand. You can create high-quality video tutorials and reviews you can share just about anywhere else online.
Whichever platform you choose for your series, you will have to invest in the right equipment. You don’t have to spend much just to create professional web episodes. All you need is to create the kind of content that informs, entertains, and inspires your customers.
7. Offer only the best from your business
In any case, the most effective way to retain customers is simply to deliver their expectations.No business is perfect, but it shouldn’t keep you from giving your best. Your customers deserve products and services that make them happy, so focus on refining your offers based on their sentiments.
To accomplish this, check what your customers have to say about your business. Take every positive and negative review or comment into account and learn from it. You will find valuable insights that will help you bring out the best for your audience.
Customer retention isn’t just a process. It leads the way towards nurturing a brand with immense potential for making a social and cultural impact. Start with these tips and create a thriving client base.
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