Building Customer Loyalty is always difficult if you find that your clients come one and you never seen them again you are sadly losing money. It costs far more to obtain a new customer than it does to sell more to your existing customers.
The way you do this is to keep in touch and make them feel valued. Some ways of doing this are:
? Newsletter: Start up a small newsletter and send this to your current and past clients. This can be done my mail or preferably email. Please give your clients the option to opt out of this service. Your newsletter should include information, chat and articles that people will find interesting and are relevant to your own business. 2 3 pages are all that you need. If you find the cost a little prohibitive then pair up with a complimentary local business and share the costs and efforts as well as the mailing list of course. You can also include regular discount cards as well as information on new products and services you are bringing out. Keep it light, informative and non salesy and you will keep your clients close and in regular contact with you. If your newsletter is really interesting then they will send it onto their friends as well. Your frequency can be from every ten days to every two months depending upon your services and fortitude. Any more or less frequently and you lose your effectiveness.
? Loyalty Bonuses: Introduce loyalty cards where you provide an extra product, service or discount after a certain level of purchases has been made. This encourages extra sales and gives your clients a feeling of achievement.
? Suggest a Friend: Another marketing option that works well is to set up a suggest a friend scheme. Reward your clients with extra services or products if they suggest a friend who consequently purchases from you. By then adding these people to your newsletter you are growing your clients.
? Buy one etc: This scheme has the charming name of BOGOF buy one get one free. There are several variations you could try buy one and then get 10% of the next service/product. Buy three get the cheapest at half price you get the picture! By ensuring that the second item/service is available only in the future you persuade your client to come back a second time. This builds loyalty and makes your client feel that they have a bargain.
? Up Sell: When you sell one product or service, offer other complimentary services as well at a discounted price. Package them together if possible so that your total sale is larger. Remember the fast food outlets selling their meals which gives a bigger total sale price.
Lastly if your clients are not returning have you checked that you are offering what people thought that they were buying and that they are not leaving unhappy or disappointed. Write to them shortly afterwards, or talk to them before they leave and ask for feedback. Act upon it!
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