Hearing those first few ka-chings, the initial sales from family and friends, can make you feel grateful for the support. However, getting sales from strangers can be exhilarating because you know you’re doing something right. Either your marketing strategy is on point, or your product is good enough for them to purchase.
While you need first time customers to launch your business, it is even more important to value loyal customers who keep coming back. Repeat customers are great for your bottom line, and they often serve as free ambassadors for your product or service. There is a lot of value in wooing customers and enticing them to return to your website or place of business. Here are some ways to do that.
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Have a Seamless Website
The first thing many customers do when they want to learn more about your business is to visit your website. It is something like the first impression on a first date. Appearance matters. If your website looks sloppy and amateur with broken links and outdated information, it can be a huge red flag. It can show that the website isn’t a priority. That would be a shame, as the customer might not give your business another chance.
One way to avoid such a situation is to invest in small business website management. You could hire a firm that can create and maintain a stellar website for you. If your budget allows, you can have a completely customized website designed from scratch. If you don’t have the resources, you could choose from pre-made templates with some basic pages already designed. Website managers can also help you select a domain name and hosting service. They ensure backend links and images all load quickly. Make sure the site has a security certificate too, so customers don’t hesitate to enter credit card details.
Never Compromise on Quality
A great website needs a great product line. Another way to have loyal customers is to ensure that you always offer top quality products or services. Getting the customer’s foot in the door is not enough to thrive as a business. If someone orders clothes from your website, make sure the quality of the fabric and the stitching is the same or better than the first time they ordered.
Even if you find another supplier who can make it for less, don’t switch unless you see the quality. Even finishing touches like buttons, zippers, and labels should not be substandard to save a little money. Some companies promise lower costs, but that can be a hit or miss. Sometimes foreign labor laws even allow children to work in factories, and that likely goes against the values of your customers. At other times, language, timings, and shipping costs can be a major hurdle with outsources. Customers are typically willing to pay a little more to support a local business that ships fast.
Reward Loyal Customers
Businesses vying for new customers make it seem easy for customers to switch loyalties. Cell phone provider B could run ads to show how they can help you make the switch. Some even offer new smartphones and are willing to buy your old phones or take over remaining payments. The fact that some customers choose to stick to provider A means they should be thanked and rewarded. Instead of offering the best deals to new customers, companies should also consider rewarding people who have been loyal to them for several years. The discount or incentive should ideally increase with each passing year too.
Loyalty clubs are another way to reward customers. The rewards can be better at every tier. If you have been with the cell phone company for five consecutive years, they could earn elite status. Three years of loyalty can earn gold status, and one year can earn silver. Each tier can enjoy different discounts for travel or restaurants. They can even receive statement credit for referrals if friends and family sign up. By trying a few of these ideas, customers feel valued because often the opposite takes place. Many companies only offer new customers special deals.
Offer Top Notch Customer Service
Whether your business is large or small, issues will arise from time to time. Humans can make mistakes and even technology can glitch. The differentiating factor is how these complaints are handled. If you want to value your existing customers, make it a priority to keep them happy. If they get the wrong color water bottle in their order, fix the problem quickly. You could satisfy them by asking them to return the blue bottle and send the purple that they ordered. Or you could delight them by apologizing for the mix up and telling them to keep the blue and overnight them a purple.
Not all businesses may be able to afford to always delight customers, but it is a standard to aspire to. There could be customers that abuse the honor system too and look for freebies for no genuine reason. However, in most cases, the extra water bottle you send can be a great marketing strategy too. The customer might give the blue one to a friend and speak highly of your company. Second, you made the solution easy for the customer. They didn’t have to print a label and drive to the post office to mail the blue bottle. They will remember this gesture the next time they are in the market for something from your business.
Wooing your customers may cost some time and money, but it is nearly always worth the investment. The relationship you establish with loyal customers can yield great results over the life cycle of your products. Goodwill may be hard to quantify, but it is an intangible — and very valuable — asset.
