Getting past customers to purchase again is several times cheaper than acquiring new clients. This statement is especially true for a crowded eCommerce market where ads, clicks and conversions constantly rise in cost. That’s why online entrepreneurs should pay as much attention to retention as they do to an acquisition.
Let’s take a look at 6 simple tactics you can use to keep shoppers coming back for repeat purchases.
Establish A Compelling Brand
Simon Sinek once said on TEDTalks: “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it”. In other words, customers don’t just buy goods or services; they buy stories.
Determine a philosophy, a strong principle or an important goal of your business and ensure that customers can relate to it emotionally. Choose an idea that can cut through the noise and separate your brand from competitors.
TOMS Shoes Charity is a great example of how a natural desire to make the world a better place drives a successful business. They donate a pair of shoes to those who are in need for every pair you purchase.
For retention to stick, motivate customers to buy from you, not from somebody else.
Advocate Your Values
You probably have more than one value proposition, since the concept of value itself is subjective; every customer segment you serve benefits from a different facet of your offer. You should be able to summarise all the unique perks of your store in 30 seconds – the so-called elevator pitch.
As soon as you can put it in a nutshell, start educating clients about what makes your company special and how your products make them special. Don’t go into bold advertising, share knowledge instead. For instance, create live streams or webinars; share showcases to demonstrate how your goods help to solve problems.
Become a passionate missioner of your business: share your stories, build up trust and authority. Customers will stick with you for who you are.
Establish A Dialogue
Communication is crucial for attracting shoppers’ attention. Don’t rush to launch a scheduled email campaign or start a new promotion in social media. Paint a picture of an ideal buyer. Collect general information like location, language, age, occupation and income. Also gather some psychographic data like areas of interest, concerns and reasons for buying. It sounds complicated, but creating a valid buyer persona is worth the effort. On one hand, this imaginary profile provides something to what your customers can relate. On the other hand, it helps you to develop brand’s style, a tone of voice and a set of business traits that shoppers would appreciate.
During the investigation, you would also learn what means of communication are the best for your audience. You might find out that you should concentrate on Facebook or spend more time on Twitter or even start sending SMS. Customers are busy with their own lives and every moment devoted to your store is precious; so deliver your messages in the most convenient way.
Use Personal Approach
As a business owner you need to come up with some generalised characteristics in order to segment your audience, but on a personal level everybody wants to feel special, so personalise your website content wherever it’s possible. For example, offer a starting quiz to get the visitor’s name and preferences, so the next time he/she stops by, the system would generate a personal welcoming message and a unique set of recommended products. Something as simple as a custom thankyou note after purchase also can make a client fall in love with your brand once and forever. 😉
Gamify to Boost Loyalty
Though gamification is not a new word in e-commerce, not many business owners know how to implement it properly. Invest some time and effort to get this strategy under your belt, and you’ll win customers’ loyalty.
These are the three main aspects of gamification:
- Motivate shoppers to jump in the game – pick a prize. Think about a good call to action to raise excitement.
- Make the rules short and clear.
- Meet the expectations and give out the promised trophy. Praise the winner – announce his or her name in social networks and send an email with congratulations.
A few elements of gaming can turn regular shopping into a fun and memorable experience!
Revamp your sales funnel
Nowadays people became savvy online shoppers, and the power has shifted from businesses to consumers. Focus on re-engaging customers. Offer an exclusive, interesting and personalised shopping adventure. Develop a strong brand that sticks in the buyers’ mind and becomes a part of their lifestyle.
These customer retention tactics would help you gain more sales and boost your revenue. If you are already using some of the listed strategies, please share your experience in comments below.
