It costs nearly five times as much to get a new customer as it does to keep a current one. Find out how to get repeat business from existing customers.
Assuming you already have your customers’ contact details, it can be relatively easy and inexpensive to turn existing customers into repeat customers.
1. Offer great service
This may seem very obvious, but not everybody offers great service!
Satisfactory service does not make you stand out from the crowd, and it certainly doesn’t encourage your customers to return. Your customers can get satisfactory service anywhere, but can they get extraordinary service? Think about what your customers would view as extraordinary service, and then figure out a way to deliver it.
2. Don’t exaggerate
You’ve probably heard the following mantra, “under-promise and over-deliver”. It’s important to take this advice on board when marketing to your target customers because if you set the bar at impossible levels, you are doomed to fail from the start; and it won’t look like you’re offering great service!
Be realistic and make sure your customer knows what to expect, then exceed their expectations.
3. Stay at the front of your customers’ minds
Be aware of when your customers are likely to re-purchase, and make sure that you are at the front of their minds before that time.
Whether you are a real estate agent with a 7 year purchase cycle or a barista with a 3 hour purchase cycle, knowing when your customer is going to need your products and services, and marketing to them at that time will increase the chances that they’ll become a repeat customer.
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4. Keep your customers informed
You should experiment to find the best way to stay in touch – whether it be a self-published newsletter, social media or more traditional media. But it’s not enough to say, “G’day, how’s it going?” It’s important to have a reason for making contact.
One idea is to educate your customers about why your products or services are superior. This not only provides reassurance that they’ve made the right purchasing decision, it increases the chance that they’ll purchase from you again.
Another way to keep in touch is to share hints and tips on how to get more value out of your products and services. This will also inspire your customers to engage with you.
Encouraging existing customers to become repeat customers is a great way to get more bang for your marketing buck. It’s also far easier to measure your return on investment compared to other marketing methods.
How do you get repeat customers?