Build Lasting Relationships With Your Customer Base
4 Steps To Keep Your Customer Coming Back
As marketers, we all face the same dilemma. No matter who your target customer may be, they come and go without any warning. We’re left asking ourselves what did we do wrong? What could we have done better?
Lucky for you, we’ve compiled a list of the best ways to retain your customers. Here are 4 ways to build lasting relationships with your customers.
Start a Mailing List
Make a connection with your customers by collecting their emails. Consumers are driven by sales, so why not do a few newsletters or email blasts a couple times a month? This way, your customers will constantly be reminded that your company is on the market. It’s also a great way to share new products or services and promotions.
Tip: Don’t do the generic sales. Make it about the customer. As human beings, all we want are companies to recognize our needs and provide us with a solution.
Give a Gift
Whether it’s a gift card, exclusive discount or a sample of a new product, your customers will love you. Not only will they return, they’ll most likely refer a friend as well!
Gift giving shows your customers that you genuinely care about them and their needs. When customers feel appreciative, they’ll begin to trust and admire you.
Talk The Talk
Speak your customer’s language. And, no, I don’t mean English, French or Cantonese. I mean observe their language – how do they interact with others. Find out what their needs are and offer them a solution. Are they quirky and fun? Strictly business and serious? Find out and mirror their language.
Mirroring is a great way to be likable to the right customers and build brand loyalty.
Be Social
We’ve said it before, and, you know what? We’ll keep saying it: talk to your customers!
Be social and responsive on all your social media platforms. When asked a question, answer it. If they make a complaint, admit to fault and make amends. When they say thank you, say you’re welcome (and maybe throw in a little something, like an exclusive discount for example).
Whatever your customers have to say about you is only as good as how you respond. So be sure to always be responsive, polite and open to constructive criticism.
Managing relationships isn’t easy, but it will only benefit your company. It’s approximately three times more expensive to acquire a new customer than retaining an existing one. Invest that extra time, energy and money into your customers and build lasting relationships with them.
Your customers are the key to your success.
Make the most of it.
Links: Keep Customers Coming Back, Customer Loyalty, Small Businesses and Customer Retention, 6 Tips To Help Build Strong Customer Relations